Mixed Emotions
by GwenOwenforever
Summary: What if Gwen and Owen weren't disturbed whilst in the woods in Countrycide? How does Toshiko really feel about it all?
1. Chapter 1

****Disclaimer:**** I do not own Torchwood. Really wish I did though.

****A/N:**** Just like to thank ****Gwento-addict**** and ****Helen P**** for helping me choose which one to write. I was hoping you'd choose this one to be honest. Thank you both so much! =)

"When was the last time you screwed all night? When was the last time you came so hard, and so long, you forgot where you are? Doesn't happen with him, does it? You're too familiar. Whereas, you and me, we're not cozy at all. We'd be amazing! And that scares the shit out of you." Owen hissed.

Gwen had her fingers tangled in Owen's hair as he pinned her up against the tree. She would be lying if she told him the thought hadn't crossed her mind. Her breath came out in short, sharp gasps as she looked into his eyes. She wanted to push him away and she tried to think of Rhys but...his body was pressed so tight against her.

She could feel his body heat through her clothes and his lips...they were so close. They brushed lightly against hers as he spoke.

Her mind went blank and she tightened her fingers in his hair, crushing her lips against his. He quickly responded and ran his hands down to her waist. She moaned and Owen took the opportunity to slip his tongue past her parted lips.

It wasn't until she felt Owen's hands under her jacket that she came to her senses. She pulled away and glared at him.

"Get off me." She spat, pushing him away.

Owen grabbed her and slammed her back against the tree once more.

"Why?" He whispered. "Because you know we'd be amazing together? Because you're scared you'll enjoy it too much? Admit it Gwen, you want this to happen."

Gwen's eyes closed as she leant her head back and felt his hot breath on her neck. She gripped his arms tight as she forced herself to focus.

"I said get off me." She growled and pushed him harder.

As she stormed back in the direction of their camp-site, Owen turned to her.

"See, you're not even denying it." He called.

She stopped and turned to glare at him over her shoulder.

"Fine. I'll admit it, ok? Yes, maybe I am thinking about it. But it's not going to happen Owen." She told him.

"You say that now but now you've admitted it to us both, you won't be able to stop thinking about it. I bet by the end of the night, you're in my tent." He smirked.

She snorted and shook her head.

"I really wouldn't bet on that." She laughed.

"But I do." He said. "I bet a tenner that by midnight tonight, you'll give in and come over to my tent. If it doesn't happen, we'll forget about the whole thing."

"Ok, deal." Gwen nodded and started walking again. "Hope you've got that tenner with you."

When Gwen returned to the rest of the team, her mind was wandering again. Owen was right, once she'd said those words out loud, she couldn't stop thinking about it and it did scare her. What if she did go tonight? What would happen if she wanted more after tonight? She couldn't do that to Rhys.

As she sat down on one of the fold out chairs near where they were going to build the fire, she didn't notice Ianto talking to her.

"Gwen?" He shouted.

Her head snapped up and she looked over at him.

"Sorry Ianto. What was it you were saying?" She asked.

"Firewood. I thought you'd gone to help Owen collect it." Ianto said.

"Oh...yeah...he sent me back. Said I was only slowing him down, you know what he's like." She lied.

"Oh ok." Ianto shrugged.

Jack was in the SUV, checking for any rift surges that had occurred while they were away. He glanced at her and instantly knew she was lying. When he looked at Ianto, he knew the younger man knew too.

Toshiko was sitting quietly opposite Gwen, looking as though she was trying her hardest not to notice the lie too.

Owen returned a few minutes later, his arms filled with old twigs and branches. His eyes met Gwen's before she looked away quickly. He dumped the wood in the centre and sat across from Gwen.

The sun had set and the fire was crackling comfortingly as the team sat around it. Gwen tried to ignore Owen but every now and then their eyes met. The fire lit his face with a gentle orange glow and made his eyes sparkle.

"So what's for dinner Ianto?" Jack asked.

"Well, I thought since we were going camping, why not bring some traditional camping food. You know, spear some hot dogs on a stick and cook them over the fire." Ianto said.

"Sounds lovely." Gwen grinned.

"It does." Ianto nodded. "But someone didn't give me enough time to go shopping." Everyone glared at Jack who held his hands up in surrender. "I had to grab whatever camping food was stored in the Hub."

By the time it was cooked, they each ended up with a portion of grey, gloopy slop. Ianto had tried to make it more appealing by adding golden syrup but it only thickened the mixture so it was almost impossible to move their spoons through it.

Owen refused to touch any of his. Tosh and Jack ate a few mouthfuls before admitting defeat. Ianto tried to save his dignity and eat it all but even he gave up after three quarters. Gwen poked hers with her spoon and ate a few tiny mouthfuls before she put it aside, the slop sucking the spoon from her hand.

"I'm going to bed." She sighed. "Goodnight."

As she got up, Jack, Ianto and Tosh all said goodnight.

"I would say goodnight but what's the point? You never know...we might be seeing each other later." Owen smirked.

Gwen stared at him wide-eyed as the rest of the team looked between them.

"Goodnight Owen." She said and quickly walked over to her tent.

The tents were just big enough to stand up and walk around without stooping. Ianto had also found some self inflating air beds, big enough for two...

She shook her head away from that thought and sat down on the bed, placing her head in her hands. The image of her and Owen alone in the woods filled her mind. She could still feel his soft lips on hers, his hands burning her skin as he touched her. She felt so alive and she hadn't felt like that in a long time. She could feel it again if she wanted to. Owen had given her that option and it was so tempting to take it.

Jumping up in frustration, she grabbed her phone from her pocket and checked the time. Ten o'clock, only two hours to go until midnight.

Gwen started to pace inside her tent, trying to keep her mind from straying.

****A/N:**** So, the next chapter's going to be from Tosh's point of view. I'm not exactly a Toshiko fan so it'll be hard to write but I look forward to the challenge! Hope it doesn't disappoint.


	2. Chapter 2

****A/N:**** Like I said, I'm not exactly a Toshiko fan so I found this chapter difficult to write but hopefully it's not too bad.

****Tosh P.O.V****

Toshiko watched as Gwen and Owen left to collect the firewood, her eyes lingering on the Welshwoman's back.

She was still shocked at the news of their kiss. It was just a kiss, nothing more. But it still hurt so much, just like when she found out he'd slept with Suzie. Owen had kissed both Gwen and Suzie because he wanted to, not because he was pissed after some Christmas party and she happened to have mistletoe and was the only woman around. That stung the most. The fact that she was his last resort.

It had been just over two months since Gwen had joined Torchwood and she'd already claimed Owen's attention. Toshiko had known him for years and he hadn't even looked twice at her. She'd made her feelings for him so obvious, everyone knew but him.

Maybe she was trying too hard. Gwen and Suzie never seemed interested in him yet that drew him in further. Perhaps she should stop trying, maybe he'd notice her then. No, she had to face it, he'd never notice her. She just wasn't his type.

She was too plain and quiet and technical minded for someone like Owen. A geek, he might say, though not to her face. Owen always went for the stunning, action type girl.

Gwen returned a few minutes later and Toshiko could tell instantly that something had happened. Her hair was ruffled and her lips swollen slightly, a thoughtful expression on her face. Gwen's jacket had been unzipped and it was too cold for her to have unzipped it voluntarily.

That drove the knife deeper into Tosh's heart.

"I thought you'd gone to help Owen collect it." Toshiko heard Ianto say.

"Oh...yeah...he sent me back. Said I was only slowing him down, you know what he's like." Gwen lied.

"Oh ok." Ianto shrugged.

Tosh wished so hard that the lie was true. However, when Owen returned and she saw the look that passed between them, she couldn't pretend to herself.

She tried her hardest to keep her eyes away from both of them as they sat around the camp fire. It was so painful to see the looks of desire pass between them. Jack tried to keep up the banter as the camp started to fill with tension but she wasn't in the mood to talk much.

It got worse as everyone started to get hungry and all they had to eat was something that was barely edible. She gave Ianto an apologetic smile as she set her portion aside after a few mouthfuls.

"I'm going to bed." Gwen sighed.

Tosh gave her a small smile and said goodnight.

"I would say goodnight but what's the point? You never know...we might be seeing each other later." Owen smirked.

Tosh's head snapped up and she looked between Gwen and Owen. The clear look of panic on Gwen's face confirmed what she'd thought had gone off in the woods. Gwen glanced at her quickly before looking back at Owen.

"Goodnight Owen." She said and quickly walked over to her tent.

Tosh stood up and turned towards her tent.

"Yeah, I think I'll turn in too." She mumbled.

"Hope you sleep well." Jack smiled.

"Night Tosh." Ianto nodded.

Owen said nothing, he was too busy staring after Gwen, a small smirk on his face.

She sighed and left the group, heading for her tent. Once inside, she curled up on her bed and fought with the tears threatening to fall.


	3. Chapter 3

Owen lay on his bed, thick blankets wrapped around him. He'd opened up his sleeping bag and used that as another cover.

He rolled onto his side and fumbled in the dark for his phone. The light from the screen lit up the tent as he checked the time. Only five minutes to midnight.

As he rolled back over, he began to think Gwen wasn't coming. He'd been so certain she would. The way she'd reacted to his touches and kisses, the looks she'd given him, he was sure she'd give in to her desire.

He closed his eyes as he pictured the way she looked in his arms, her head thrown back and eyes closed in ecstasy, her pink lips parted as she gasped at his touches. The sounds she made drove him on. Her skin was so soft under his fingertips.

He felt the need to touch her and kiss her again burning through his veins. If she didn't come, he'd go to her.

Gwen growled in frustration and grabbed her torch from her bag. Turning it on, she stepped outside and covered the end with her hand, only letting a thin beam of light through her fingers.

The rest of the team had gone to their tents and the fire had burned itself out leaving a smoking pile of ash.

She stepped as quietly as she could over to the tent just across from her and took a deep breath. She unzipped the tent and stepped inside.

"Told you you'd come." Owen smirked at her.

Her heart was pounding and her breathing sped up as she looked at him. Owen climbed out of his bed and walked over to her. Taking the torch from her hand, he dropped it to the floor where it rolled and cast it's light throughout the tent. She looked straight into his eyes as he wrapped his arms around her waist. The warmth of his body consumed her and a small gasp escaped her lips. His lips clamped down onto her neck and he trailed kisses and gentle nips down to her shoulder.

"Owen..." She breathed, trying to remain focused. "What happens tonight...this is it...it's a one night thing."

Owen showed no signs that he'd heard or understood what she'd said as he pushed her jacket from her shoulders. His grip on her tightened as he trailed a thumb over the skin just above the waistband of her jeans. That was it. Her head clouded over and she gripped the front of his shirt tightly, covering his lips with hers. One of his hands went to the small of her back, pressing her into him, while the other tangled in her hair. Without breaking the kiss, he pulled her over to his bed and lowered them onto it. Quick work was made of their clothes which now lay crumpled on the floor in a corner. Gwen's eyes were dark as Owen pulled away to look at her, both breathing heavily.

He wanted this so much but he didn't want her to feel like he was forcing her to do something she didn't want to do. He was aware of how she'd feel after. She'd be feeling guilty about cheating on Rhys and maybe she'd regret it. He gazed at the beautiful woman in his arms, his heart pounding.

"You sure you want to do this?" He asked.

"Yes." She answered.

"We don't have to do this." He told her. "There's still time to change your mind."

"Why are you so interested in what I want all of a sudden?" She asked.

"I just...I know what will happen once we get back home." He replied. His eyes wouldn't meet hers as he continued. "I don't want you to get hurt."

She stared up at him in shock, words escaping her. When he looked back down at her, there was something unrecognisable in his eyes. Sensing he didn't want to elaborate, she put that thought to the back of her mind and grinned up at him. Raising her eyebrow, she ran a finger down his spine, watching him shiver and close his eyes.

"I told you earlier." She breathed. "I want this." She dragged her finger back up his spine and then moved her hand to his chest. "I want you to make me feel exactly how you said I would. Make me forget who I am." She ran her hand down his chest to rest between his hips. "I want you, Owen."

A low, primal growl escaped his throat as he crushed his lips onto hers. He explored her body with his hands, revelling in the sounds she made. Her cheeks flushed pink as she moved closer and closer to the edge. But he wasn't about to let her go that easily. His hands disappeared from her and she whimpered at the loss of contact only to moan loudly as his hands were replaced with his lips. Her hips bucked up towards his as she begged for release. He grabbed her hips and held them down onto the mattress.

"Patience." He whispered in her ear.

His lips made their way to her neck again and he added to the collection of red marks he'd made a few minutes ago.

"Owen please..." She begged. "I can't..."

The way she was clutching at him tightly, whimpering for him, made it hard for him to resist. He gave in and let her have what she wanted. Another cry escaped her as she forced her hips up to meet his. Loud moans and gasps from both Gwen and Owen filled the tent.

He rolled off her almost an hour later, their bodies drenched in sweat. Gwen's eyes were closed as she waited for the world to stop spinning around her. Owen placed lazy kisses on her lips as their breathing returned to normal.

"Something tells me you haven't done it like that in a while." He laughed.

"No." She admitted sadly. "It's never been like that with Rhys, not even when we first started seeing each other. It's never been like that with anyone. Just you..." Their eyes met and they lay staring at each other. After a few minutes, Gwen cleared her throat and sat up. "I should be getting back to my tent." She said quickly.

"No, stay for a bit." He said, pulling her back down.

"I can't." She sighed.

"Please. Don't go just yet." He begged.

"Ok, just for a little while." She smiled, rolling her eyes. He grinned and placed a fiery kiss on her lips. Her heart started to race again as she tangled her fingers in his hair, his fingers circling her belly button. He moaned as she rolled herself so she half lay on top of him. Gwen almost laughed as a sense of deja vu hit her when she remembered the time they were in a very similar position inside one of the cold storage units. She pulled away before they got too carried away again. "Ok, I really have to go now." She told him.

Owen watched her dress, a feeling of disappointment spreading through him. He stood up as she turned to leave and grabbed her arms.

"Gwen, what happened...it's not really just a one time thing is it?" He asked.

She didn't answer. Instead she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. She pulled away and left the tent, Owen's eyes on her back.

He couldn't describe the feeling he was experiencing at that moment. He just knew that this warm, fuzzy feeling he had now, he only ever got when she was around. It would grow every time she smiled at him causing her green eyes to sparkle. He couldn't get rid of the image of those eyes staring at him, clouded with lust. That beautiful welsh voice calling his name as she reached her climax. Whatever Gwen Cooper had done to him, he didn't want it to end.

Gwen returned to her tent and crawled into bed. Her mind was swimming as she tried to make sense of what had just happened. She'd just cheated on Rhys and yet...she didn't feel guilty about it. She loved Rhys and she used to look forward to going home and cuddling up to him after work. Lately though, she was looking for more reasons to stay at the Hub. What was happening to them?

Then there was Owen...a small smile crept onto her lips as she thought about him. Yes, he could be a complete arse at times but there were other times when he made her laugh and they had fun. He knew everything she liked and all her pet hates and they'd only known each other just over two months. Everything about him sent her crazy. The way he smiled, the way he touched her, the feel of his lips on her skin. His eyes...those chocolate brown eyes she could just drown in.

What was it she had seen in those eyes earlier? Whatever it was, she fell asleep with the image in her mind.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Just a short chapter here I'm afraid. I didn't quite know what else to write in this one but I do have some better ideas for the next one.

**Tosh P.O.V**

She heard the soft footsteps heading away from the tent next to her, Gwen's tent. Tosh got up and quietly unzipped the tent flap just enough to peek through. Gwen had stopped just outside Owen's tent and was letting herself in. Once she'd disappeared inside, Tosh waited for a few minutes to see if she came back out. The sound of low voices drifted over to her but they were too quiet to work out what they were saying.

What came next froze her to the spot and she felt like someone was stabbing at her heart. Loud gasps and moans started to sound from the tent.

The world spun around her as she pictured the two of them together. She fell to the floor, shaking as she began to sob uncontrollably. She clutched her sides, trying to stop herself from crumbling to pieces as she brought her knees up to her chest.

The more she tried to block them out, the louder they got. The darkness seemed to swallow her up and the air became cold and bitter, biting at her face. Any images she'd ever had of herself and Owen disappeared in a cloud of smoke. She felt as if the whole world was pointing and laughing at her for thinking she ever had a chance with Owen.

Dragging herself to her bed, she curled up into a ball and hugged her knees. What if it wasn't just tonight? What if they started falling in love? She didn't think she could cope if that happened.

Surely it wouldn't though. Gwen was with Rhys. She'd never leave him, would she? Plus, Owen had slept with Suzie and hadn't fallen in love. Love just wasn't his thing.

But what if this time was different? There was always tension between them and they were always flirting whether they liked to admit it or not. Did that mean there were feelings there?

Silence fell after one last scream of Owen's name from his tent but the sounds never ended in Toshiko's head. She clamped her hands over her ears, trying to get rid of them but they were burned into her mind forever along with the images of Gwen and Owen entwined in each other's arms.

There were a few mumbles as they spoke to each other. This time she could make out Owen begging Gwen to stay. She could hear them kissing before Gwen told him she had to go.

A few minutes later, she heard Gwen's footsteps returning to her tent.

Toshiko didn't know how long she was awake before she fell into an uneasy sleep, dreaming up more vivid images of them.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** I thought I'd do a longer chapter here so I've got more to work with for Tosh's chapter next. I have more ideas for the next Tosh chapter so hopefully it'll be a bit longer than the last one.

When Owen left his tent the next morning, he was greeted by Tosh, Ianto and Jack all in a panic.

"What is it? What's happened?" He asked.

"The SUV, it's been stolen." Jack told him.

"But who could have stolen it all the way out here?" He frowned.

"We don't know." Ianto said. "I just woke up early hours this morning and I heard the SUV driving off at full speed. By the time I got out my tent, it was gone."

"How did they get in? That thing's got triple deadlocks." Owen argued.

"Someone left the keys in." Tosh said, glaring at Owen.

"Hey, don't look at me. Jack was the last one to go in the SUV." He argued.

"Yes but you were the last one with the keys." Tosh shouted back.

"What's up with you Tosh? Why are you so uptight all of a sudden?" Owen shouted.

"Ok, calm down you two." Jack shouted, interrupting them. "Tosh, go wake Gwen. We've still got the map and the tracking device. We can track down the SUV later. We need to solve the mystery of these disappearances first."

Tosh turned to make her way to Gwen's tent.

"Wait." Owen shouted. "I'll go."

Tosh looked at Jack who shrugged and nodded. She watched Owen sadly as he walked over to Gwen's tent.

Owen entered the tent and looked down at Gwen sleeping, a small smile on her face. The light from outside fell across her face, softening her features. She looked so peaceful and he felt that warm feeling once again.

Carefully sitting on the edge of the bed, he leant over her and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. She started to stir and her eyes fluttered open. Her eyes widened as she saw him before she responded and kissed him back.

"Hey." She whispered sleepily.

"Morning." He smiled. "Jack says it's time to get up."

She rolled her eyes and sat up.

"Never get a bloody lie in with this job." She mumbled.

"We've got a situation actually. Someone's stolen the SUV." He told her.

"What? How?" She asked. Owen shrugged and shook his head. Sighing, she threw the covers off and stood up and stretched. Owen smirked and raised his eyebrow. When she turned back to look at him, she shook her head. "Go away you. I'll be out in minute." He stood up but made no move to leave. "What do you want?"

He grabbed her by the hips and pulled her tight to his chest.

"Do you really have to ask that?" He breathed. Clamping his lips onto hers, he grinned inwardly at the sound of her surprised gasp. When he pulled away, he smirked down at her dazed expression. "See you in a minute."

With that, he left the tent and Gwen stared after him in shock.

When she finally joined the rest of the team, she found them gathered around the map. Jack looked up at her and raised his eyebrow as she yawned.

"Tired?" He asked.

"Yeah sorry, I'm not a morning person." She answered.

"Anyone would think you were up all night." Tosh commented.

"Up all night doing what I wonder." Owen said, shooting a quick wink at Gwen.

Gwen giggled but stopped suddenly as she saw the look on Toshiko's face. She cleared her throat and stepped up to the map.

"So, where are we going to start?" She asked.

Jack pointed to an area on the map.

"There's a village just up here. We should go up and ask if anyone's seen or heard anything suspicious in the area." Jack told them.

"Hang on." Owen said, looking at the map. "That's a three mile walk."

"Yep." Jack nodded and started walking.

Owen groaned and started to follow.

"Did I mention that I hate the countryside?" He complained.

"Oh come on Owen, a three mile walk should be nothing for a man with your stamina." Gwen grinned as she passed him.

Owen sped up as if to prove her right.

Once they'd reached the village, it was all too clear something was wrong. The place was empty. The eerie silence sent shivers down Gwen's back and she grabbed hold of Owen's hand. They both looked at each other then down at their hands before pulling away quickly.

"I've got a trace on the car." Ianto told them. "It's close."

"Ok, you and Tosh head to the SUV. Gwen, Owen, you're with me." Jack ordered.

The team split off in different directions and began to search the village. That's when all the chaos took place with Ianto and Tosh taken hostage and Gwen shot by a terrified teenager.

After learning the disgusting secret of the village, the team were back in the SUV heading back to Cardiff. Gwen sat shivering in the back out of disgust and anger. Tears rolled down her blood smeared cheeks as she clutched her wound. She gazed out the window, refusing to speak. Owen sat in the middle next to her, glancing at her in worry. Ianto sat on his other side, his eyes closed as he tried to forget how close he'd come to death. Tosh was in front, just staring out of the window while Jack drove, a grave expression on his face. What they'd encountered was far worse than any alien they'd come across.

Once they'd reached the Hub, Jack told Tosh and Ianto to go home. Owen took Gwen down to the medical bay to clean her wound properly and put new bandages on. She was still crying as he tended to her wounds.

"Gwen, it's ok." Owen whispered.

She shook her head and closed her eyes.

"I've seen a lot of things with this job but never...never did I expect to see..." She said, her voice trailing off as a sob shook through her. "And it's so hard...I have to keep it all to myself...I can't tell anybody about it...there's no one to take the pain away because they don't understand..."

"You don't have to deal with this alone." He told her. "You've got us." He reached for her hand and held it tight in his. "You've got me. If you need to talk to someone about anything, you can come to me. I mean it. Night or day, just call me."

He pulled her into a hug as she calmed her tears. Pulling away, she wiped them away with the back of her free hand.

"Thanks Owen." She smiled, squeezing his hand. "And the same goes for you. If you need to talk, you know my number, I'll be straight there."

"Oh really?" He smirked.

"I mean to talk Owen." She said, though she smirked and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Let's promise to confide in each other and not let things get on top of us."

"Sounds good to me." Owen nodded.

Silence fell between them as they looked into each other's eyes. Owen brushed a stray hair behind her ear and leant in to kiss her lips. When his lips brushed against hers, she turned her face away.

"I should be getting home." She said quickly. As she left the autopsy bay, she came face to face with Toshiko. "Hey, I thought you'd gone home."

"I left my car keys here before we left." Toshiko said. "Don't let me disturb you."

"What?" Gwen laughed.

"Don't let me interrupt anything." Tosh said, indicating the autopsy bay.

"Owen was just changing my bandage." Gwen explained.

"That wasn't what you were doing in his tent the other night." Toshiko spat.

Gwen's mouth dropped open and her eyes widened. Tosh looked surprised at what she'd just said and now stood unsure of what to do next. Owen had heard them and had come up from the autopsy bay. He stood beside Gwen and glared at Tosh.

"What happened that night is none of your business." He told her.

"I – I know. I don't know what came over me." Tosh stammered.

"Just go home Tosh." Owen said. A hurt expression fell across her face as she grabbed her car keys and ran out of the Hub. Gwen was still stood, staring in shook at the spot Tosh had just vacated. "Are you ok?"

She didn't answer him. He gently ran his hand down her arm and she looked up at him. Pulling her arm out of his reach, she took a step back.

"Sorry, I can't do this. This should never have happened, I wasn't thinking." She told him. He was about to protest when she shook her head. "I didn't think about how many people would get hurt. Rhys...Tosh...I never even thought about them. I don't want to hurt them."

"Gwen, you're always thinking about other people and what they want. For once, think about yourself and what you want." Owen argued.

"But that's just it. I don't know what I want." She whispered, fresh tears building up in the corners of her eyes. "I'm so confused."

"You need time to think." Owen nodded. "To be honest, we both do."

"What do you need to think about?" Gwen asked.

"Let's just say, I'm just as confused as you are." He told her.

"About what?" She frowned.

"Just something that's been...developing." He said.

She nodded though she didn't understand what he was talking about.

"I'll see you tomorrow." She said.

They stood looking at each other for a few seconds before Gwen gave him a quick kiss on his cheek and left the Hub.


	6. Chapter 6

**Tosh P.O.V**

Toshiko left her tent early that morning. She figured she'd be the first one up because she hadn't slept well, so it surprised her to find both Jack and Ianto outside. Jack was pacing and Ianto was standing around looking helpless.

It took Tosh a few minutes to realise the SUV was missing. For a moment she thought Gwen and Owen had disappeared in it since they weren't around.

"Where's the SUV?" She asked.

"It's been stolen." Ianto told her.

"Someone left the keys inside." Jack growled.

"Owen was the last one with the keys." Tosh told him. "But who could have taken it all the way out here?"

"Someone must have known we were here. This wasn't just someone passing by." Ianto said.

"So someone's been watching us." Jack murmured.

"The same thing that's been kidnapping those people do you think?" Tosh asked.

"Maybe." Jack shrugged.

Tosh shared a nervous look with Ianto. Soft footsteps approached and she looked over to see Owen make his way towards them. She tried to ignore him as Ianto explained what had happened but she found her temper rising.

"That thing's got triple deadlocks." Owen argued.

"Someone left the keys in." Tosh said, glaring at Owen.

"Hey, don't look at me. Jack was the last one to go in the SUV." He argued.

"Yes but you were the last one with the keys." Tosh shouted back.

"What's up with you Tosh? Why are you so uptight all of a sudden?" Owen shouted.

She was about to yell back exactly what was wrong but Jack interrupted them.

"Ok, calm down you two." Jack shouted. "Tosh, go wake Gwen. We've still got the map and the tracking device. We can track down the SUV later. We need to solve the mystery of these disappearances first."

Tosh tore her glare away from Owen and turned to make her way to Gwen's tent.

"Wait." Owen shouted. "I'll go."

She looked back at Jack who shrugged and nodded. She watched Owen sadly as he walked over to Gwen's tent. A hand fell on her shoulder and she looked up into Ianto's eyes.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to lose my temper like that." She sighed.

"It's ok." He smiled.

"I don't know why I just snapped like that." She said.

"I know." He said grimly. "I heard them too."

"The whole of Wales heard them." Jack muttered.

Ianto rolled his eyes at Jack and turned back to Tosh.

"I don't know what to say that'll help take away the pain." Ianto admitted. "But this is more than likely just a phase. Sooner or later they'll get over it. Owen will come around and he'll realise just how amazing you are. But...if it's not...Owen's not the right guy for you. Don't give up hope finding him. He's out there Tosh."

"Thanks Ianto." She smiled.

Owen returned with a smirk on his face and Tosh closed her eyes and took a deep breath. If this wasn't just a phase like Ianto had said, she'd better start getting over it. It would take a while and it would be painful, she knew that. She couldn't just turn off feelings she'd had for years.

Gwen joined them and she saw the look pass between her and Owen. It was different look from the ones last night. Their eyes had burned with passion, ready to burst at any moment. Now they were filled with something different. Something almost tender and sweet.

The comments they made before they left for the village made it seem as if they didn't care if anyone else knew.

She tried so hard to ignore the way they were acting around each other as they set off. Gwen had made a comment, which she'd chosen to ignore, causing Owen to chase after her. He'd grabbed her and started tickling her fiercely until Jack had shouted at them to calm down.

As they entered the village, it had an atmosphere that calmed everyone down. Tosh looked around and started to feel her heart pounding against her chest. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Gwen grab Owen's hand. She wished she was the one holding his hand and making him blush like that.

Shaking her head, she reminded herself to stop thinking like that, it would only strengthen the pain.

Jack told them to split off and Tosh left with Ianto in search of the SUV. No matter how hard she tried to stay focused on the task she'd been set, all she could think about was what Gwen and Owen were doing at that moment.

The events that followed put her mind back into focus. Never had she feared for her and her team mates lives more than she did that day. She could deal with aliens any day, but these were human beings. The thought of what human beings could do to each other frightened her.

Toshiko sat in the SUV, staring out of the window. Turning her head slightly, she watched Gwen and Owen out of the corner of her eye. Gwen was crying silently, clutching her wound and trying to block everything out. Tosh could see Owen watching her in concern. Every now and then his hand would twitch as if he wanted to reach out and put a comforting hand on her knee. She couldn't help but wonder if he would be the same if it was her in that position instead of Gwen.

Once back in Cardiff, Jack told her to go home. She was about to get in her car when she realised she'd put her keys on her desk before they'd left. She didn't want to lose them in the middle of the countryside.

Sighing, she entered the Hub through the rolling door. Just as she was about to grab her keys, she heard voices from the autopsy bay. She looked over and saw Owen leaning in towards Gwen as if to kiss her. Tosh turned away quickly, not wanting to see any more. Gwen ran up the stairs before she could leave.

"Hey, I thought you'd gone home." Gwen said.

"I left my car keys here before we left." Toshiko told her. "Don't let me disturb you."

"What?" Gwen laughed.

"Don't let me interrupt anything." Tosh said, indicating the autopsy bay.

"Owen was just changing my bandage." Gwen explained.

Tosh couldn't believe that Gwen was lying to her. She'd seen them kiss with her own eyes. It made her angry that Gwen would lie to her face about something she'd seen for herself.

"That wasn't what you were doing in his tent the other night." Toshiko spat.

Tosh flushed as she realised what she'd said. She hadn't meant to say it out loud. Looking away quickly, she heard Owen join them.

"What happened that night is none of your business." He told her.

"I – I know. I don't know what came over me." Tosh stammered.

"Just go home Tosh." Owen said.

Tosh grabbed her keys and ran out of the Hub. She couldn't stand to have Owen hate her.

Tears rolled down her face as she let herself into her flat. She wiped them away quickly, frustrated with herself. What happened to trying to get over him?

Determined to stop herself shedding any more tears, she started to make herself a hot drink.

A knock sounded on the door and she sighed as she went to open it. It was probably Ianto come to see if she was ok or the relatives of her next door neighbour, getting the wrong house again.

The last person she expected to see standing there when she opened the door was Gwen Cooper.

"Hi." Tosh said quietly.

"Hey. Tosh, can we talk?" She asked.

"Erm...sure, come in." Tosh nodded.

She let Gwen in and closed the door behind her. Both girls stood uncomfortably, unsure of what to say.

"Listen, I want to apologise." Gwen said.

"What for?" Tosh asked.

"This thing with Owen. I know how much he means to you and I feel terrible about what I did to you." Gwen explained. "What happened...I don't know...I wasn't thinking. I was just being selfish. I've hurt you and now I have to go home and face Rhys. How could I have done this to him Tosh? I've betrayed you both. Tosh I'm so sorry. It won't happen again, I promise."

"Gwen, it's ok." Tosh said.

"No it's not Tosh. You were always there for me when I first started. You helped me with all that alien tech when I had no idea what I was meant to be doing, you still do now. How do I repay you? I'm so sorry. Can I ever make this up to you? Can you ever forgive me?" She asked.

"It's fine honestly. What happened made me realise it's time I get over him. If it hadn't have happened, I'd have wasted God knows how many more years of my life watching him sleep with all those other women and end up heartbroken. I should thank you." Tosh replied.

"What?" Gwen frowned in confusion. Tosh smiled and led her into the kitchen. She made them both a cup of tea and sat at the kitchen table. "I really am sorry Tosh."

"Gwen, honestly, it's fine." Tosh told her. "Like I said, it's time I moved on. I've always hoped one day Owen would return my feelings but the way he looked at you...I realised there's a better match for him."

"What do you mean?" Gwen asked, her eyes wide.

"Well, when you...I heard him ask you if it was just a one time thing. Then the way he acts around you, he's just so happy and I've never seen him like that with anyone." Tosh answered. "It's not my place to say but I think he really likes you."

"Really?" She asked, a hint of hope in her voice.

Tosh nodded.

"Tell me honestly, how do you feel about him?" Tosh asked.

She watched as Gwen sat in deep thought for a few moments.

"I...I don't know. He's fun and he can be so sweet but there's times I just want to tear my hair out. But there's just something about him, you know? Yeah, I guess I like him." Gwen told her. Tosh smiled as a small smile crept onto Gwen's face. It fell suddenly. "Rhys...God, Rhys."

"Do you still love him?" Tosh asked quietly.

"I do love him...but...not as much as I used to." Gwen admitted. "I don't want him to get hurt. He'd probably be better off with someone that can spend more time with him and give him everything he deserves. I just don't know if I can let him go."

"If you really love him, you'll let him go. You want to see him happy right?" Tosh said.

"Of course I do." She nodded. "He deserves to be happy. You know, ever since I started this job, he's been so supportive and he puts on a brave face, but I know he's not ok. I hate lying to him all the time. I wish I could tell him everything but you know how dangerous it is. He should be with someone that doesn't lie to him all the time." Gwen sighed and held her face in her hands. "What do I do Tosh?"

"Only you can decide that and I know you'll do what's right." Tosh replied.

"Thank you." She smiled. "Tosh, I really am sorry about all this with Owen."

"I know." Tosh nodded. "I was just...shocked really. The more I think about it though, the more I realise you and Owen would be great together."

"You're saying it like he likes me back." Gwen laughed. Tosh raised an eyebrow at her and she stopped laughing. "Really? Do you think he likes me? You weren't just saying that so you could find out how I felt about him?"

"No I wasn't and from what I've seen, yes he does like you." She nodded.

She watched Gwen as she stared into space, thinking again. Gwen glanced down at her phone and stood up.

"I should be going. I called Rhys while I was on the way here and told him I was back. He'll be wondering where I am." She said.

Tosh said goodbye to her and closed the door. It took her a while to realise she'd just given Gwen advice on Owen. Maybe this was her way of moving on. If she saw Owen was happy, she'd be happy too and could move on.


	7. Chapter 7

Gwen let herself into her flat, limping due to the wound in her side. She could hear Rhys in the living room watching something on the television. He smiled up at her as she walked into the room. When his eyes fell on her blood stained jacket, he jumped up and ran to her side.

"Gwen, are you ok? What's happened?" He demanded.

"It's ok, it's not as bad as it looks." Gwen told him.

"What the hell happened?" He asked.

"It was...just an accident at work that's all." She shrugged.

"Oh here we go. It's always something to do with work isn't it. You never give me a proper answer, it's always just work." He argued. "I just want to know what happened to you Gwen. You're my girlfriend and I'm worried about you." She looked up into his eyes and felt her own start to fill with tears. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tight, ignoring the pain in her side. His arms went around her waist as she buried her head in his shoulder. "Hey, what's up?"

"Rhys, I love you so much." She whispered.

"I know sweetheart. I love you too." He told her.

"I can't lie to you any more." She sobbed.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

She pulled away and looked into his eyes.

"I know this is going to be hard to believe but you have to trust me. Every word I say now is the truth." She said.

"What is it?" He frowned.

Taking his hand, she led him over to the sofa and sat him down. She clicked the television off before sitting next to him.

She explained everything about Torchwood and the rift. When she got to Owen, she found it hard to look Rhys in the eye.

"I'm so sorry Rhys." She said after she'd finished explaining. He was staring at the floor, speechless. "Say something."

"Why did you lie to me?" He asked.

"My job is dangerous. I don't want to see you get hurt because of it. I was trying to keep you safe." She told him. "That's why you can't tell anyone what I've told you."

"Even if I did, no one would believe me." Rhys muttered. "So this Owen, do you have feelings for him or are you just sleeping with him?"

"I told you, it was just the once. But...yes, I do have feelings for him." Gwen answered.

"So who is it then? Him or me?" He spat.

"Rhys it's not as easy as that." She said.

"Well let me make the decision easier." Rhys said, standing up.

"What are you doing?" Gwen asked.

"Leaving. I'll be back for my things tomorrow." He said and left the flat.

She pulled her knees up onto the sofa and hugged them to her chest. For the next few minutes, the silence of the flat was broken by her sobs.

She eventually dragged herself to bed and lay with her back to Rhys' side. She ignored the pain in her side, it was nothing compared to the pain in her chest.

As she slowly drifted to sleep, the events of the day played through her mind. The last image was of Evan, the head of the village, leering at her. His hands reached towards her neck.

"There's no one to save you now." He whispered.

She screamed and her eyes snapped open as she sat up. She looked around the pitch black bedroom, breathing heavily and shivering with fright. She fumbled for her phone and dialled Owen's number. She had to keep starting again as she shook too much and kept making mistakes.

"Hey." His voice answered groggily.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." She told him.

"No it's fine. What's wrong?" He asked. Gwen looked around once more. Every shadow seemed to move, every creek she heard she thought someone was in the flat with her. Frightened, she started to sob once again. "Gwen, what is it?"

"Can you come over? I don't want to be alone tonight, I'm so scared." She cried.

"Alone?" Owen asked.

"Rhys left. We've broken up. Owen, please, I'm frightened." She sobbed.

"It's alright Gwen. I'm on my way." He told her.

"Thank you." She whispered. "I'll open the doors, just come straight up when you get here."

She hung up and hesitantly got out of bed. Unlocking her front door, she went into the living room to unlock the main door downstairs. She hurried back to her bed and sat with her back pressed against the headboard and the sheets wrapped tight around her. Why hadn't she turned the lights on? The darkness seemed to swallow her. She was too scared to leave her bed again. She knew it was silly but she felt as if someone was going to grab her in the dark.

It seemed to take a lifetime for Owen to arrive. When he did, he found her trembling as she clutched at the sheets. He sat next to her and pulled her into a hug against his chest. She grabbed onto him for dear life, never wanting to let go.

"It's ok. It's ok." He whispered comfortingly as he rocked her. Running his hand up and down her back, he kissed the top of her head. "Do you want to talk about it?" She shook her head and closed her eyes. He waited until she'd stopped shaking before he loosened his grip. As he got up, she grabbed him again and started to protest. "It's alright. I'm not leaving. I'll sleep on the sofa. If you need me, just shout or come out to me ok?"

"No, don't go. Stay here. Please." She begged.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"Yes." She nodded.

He stripped down to his underwear and climbed in next to her. She snuggled into him, regaining her grip on him. He wrapped an arm around her and ran his hand through her hair. Her breathing slowed as she drifted off and Owen watched her as she slept. She looked as if she'd always belonged there in his arms.

Eventually, he fell asleep too.

The next morning, he woke up feeling content and he smiled. When he looked down, he found the bed empty. Lifting himself up onto his elbows, he looked around the room. Gwen came in carrying two steaming cups in her hand.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"I'm ok. A man told me he slaughtered innocent people and ate the remains because it made him happy. I was shot in the side by a teenager scared for his life but other than that...I'm ok." She sighed. "Thanks for coming last night. You didn't have to if you didn't want to."

She passed a cup to him and sat down beside him.

"Who said I didn't want to? I told you, night or day, if you need me, I'll be here." He said. She leant in and caught his lips in a gentle kiss. "What was that for?"

"Just my way of thanking you." She shrugged.

"I'll have to do things for you more often then." He said.

They sat staring into each other's eyes before Gwen quickly looked away.

"We should be getting to work." She mumbled and left the room.

They got ready in silence, stealing quick glances at each other. Owen's hand brushed Gwen's as they both reached for the door handle causing both to blush a deep shade of red.

"Erm...do you mind giving me a lift? I was too tired to drive last night so I called a taxi." Owen said.

"Yeah, of course." Gwen nodded.

As she went to grab her car keys, the picture of her and Rhys caught her eye. She stopped to look at it and sighed.

"Are you ok?" Owen asked.

"Yeah, it's just...it's hard to believe it's over after all this time. He said he'll come back today to pick up his things. I don't know whether I want to be here when he does or whether it's going to hurt too much." She told him. Owen placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and she placed hers on top, squeezing it gently. After a few minutes of silence, Gwen turned and headed out the door. "Come on."

When they reached the Hub, they were greeted with the stares from their team mates. Gwen glanced at Tosh who surprisingly, seemed to be ok. Toshiko gave her a small smile before turning back to her work. The Captain however, didn't look happy.

"You two, a word." He ordered. The two looked at each other before following Jack into his office. He closed the door silently behind them and turned to face them, his arms folded. "Listen, I can't stop whatever is going on between you but I will put a stop to it happening here. This job needs full focus and I can't have this affecting your work or the work of your team mates. I will not have my team divided, it weakens us and could put everyone in danger."

Owen turned to Gwen.

"Could you leave us alone for a few minutes?" He asked. She frowned as she left the office. Owen watched her through the window. "Jack, I'm not going to lie to you. I like Gwen. I really like Gwen. I've never felt this way about someone I've only known a couple of months. But she's just split up with Rhys. I'm not going to do anything until she's ready." He turned back to look at his Captain. "Nothing happened last night. She called me because something scared her and she didn't want to be alone. She was so frightened, it even scared me. What was I supposed to do? Tell her 'you're a big girl now Gwen, deal with it yourself'? Do you ever get scared Jack?"

"Of course I get scared. I get scared every time I have to send one of you into a situation you might not come out of. I get scared that maybe one day, something will come through that rift that we can't stop and this whole world will suffer because of us." Jack told him. Owen saw the look in his eyes and bowed his head. The older man's expression softened and he smiled at Owen. "You did the right thing. You helped a team mate when they needed it. But it's not just you and Gwen I'm worried about this having an effect on."

Owen stared at him in confusion before he realised who Jack meant.

"Toshiko." Owen said. "I don't understand what this has to do with her."

"She's had feelings for you for a long time. Just think about how this might be making her feel too." Jack told him.

"Am I supposed to ignore these feelings I have for Gwen just because she's got some crush on me?" Owen demanded.

"No, just...be a little more sensitive about it." Jack sighed. The younger man nodded. "Have you told Gwen how you feel?"

Owen shook his head.

"I don't know how. I've never felt like this before." He admitted. "And like I said, she's just come out of a long term relationship. She's upset enough about so much already, I don't want to add another reason."

"I think you should tell her." Jack told him. "You could make her happy."

"Or I could just confuse her even more. Or scare her off. Or -"

"You won't." Jack interrupted.

"How do you know?" He asked.

"I just do." Jack shrugged.

"So...how do I tell her? What do I say?" Owen asked.

"I can't tell you what to say. Only you know what's in your heart, just tell her that. You could start by maybe, inviting her over for a pizza and a movie or take her out to dinner, something romantic. She'd like that. Then when you feel the moment's right, you tell her." Jack suggested.

He watched as Owen thought about it, nodding his head slowly.

"Yeah...yeah, I can do that." Owen nodded.

He left the office and joined the girls at their stations.

"What did you say to him?" Gwen asked curiously.

"I just explained what happened last night. Gwen, there's something I want to talk to you about but I don't want to do it here. Do you think – I mean you don't have to if you don't want to – I'm not forcing you, I just -"

"Owen what is it?" She laughed.

"Do you – do you want to maybe, come out for dinner or something with me tonight?" He asked nervously.

"Sure, I'd love to." She smiled shyly.

"Great. I'll pick you up at six, if that's ok." He said.

"That's fine." She nodded.

"Cool. Listen, I really need to talk to Tosh about something so..."

"I'm going." Gwen sighed, rolling her eyes. "I'll be up in the meeting room. Or is there someone up there you need to speak to as well? I think the only person left is Ianto who I think went down to the archives."

She smiled at him before she turned to leave. He only realised he was wearing a goofy grin once she'd disappeared up the stairs and he groaned in embarrassment.

"Real smooth Owen." He mumbled to himself.

Tosh cleared her throat behind him and he whipped around as he remembered she was standing there. She laughed at his expression and shook her head.

"You wanted to speak to me." She reminded him.

"Oh...yeah..." Owen nodded. "Jack told me."

Tosh's eyes widened.


	8. Chapter 8

****A/N:**** A shorter chapter here again. I was stuck for what to say in this one again.

****Tosh P.O.V****

When she entered the Hub that day, as usual Jack and Ianto were already there. It was always just a guess at who would walk through the door next. It depended on whether Owen had been out drinking the night before or if Gwen was spending time with Rhys. They were all shocked when they came in together.

Tosh saw Gwen glance at her and she gave her a quick smile.

"You two, a word." Jack ordered from his office.

Tosh turned to look at him, her eyebrows raised. She had no idea why Jack seemed angry with them, they weren't late. She looked at Ianto who just shrugged at her and walked off down to the archives. Gwen and Owen walked nervously into Jack's office.

Gwen came out a few minutes later looking confused. Tosh heard her approach and stand beside her.

"What was that all about?" She asked.

"Jack just telling us not to let whatever's going on get in the way of work." Gwen told her. "I don't even know what it is myself. Rhys left last night and...I had a nightmare about what happened. I got scared so I called Owen. It was only so I wasn't alone. Nothing happened I swear."

Tosh smiled at Gwen.

"Gwen, it's ok. You don't have to explain yourself to me. Like I said, I need to get over this." She said. Gwen gave her a small smile. "So why has Jack kicked you out of his office?"

"It wasn't Jack, it was Owen." Gwen said, shocked herself. "He wanted to talk to Jack about something, don't ask me what."

Owen came out a few moments later and joined them. She grinned as she watched him stumble over his words. It wasn't like Owen to babble when he was asking girls out, it was sort of cute.

He broke her out of her thoughts when she heard him mention her name and that he wanted to speak to her.

"I'm going." Gwen sighed, rolling her eyes. "I'll be up in the meeting room. Or is there someone up there you need to speak to as well? I think the only person left is Ianto who I think went down to the archives."

Tosh giggled as they watched Gwen disappear. Owen was staring after her even when she'd gone out of sight. She cleared her throat and he whipped around as if he'd just remembered she was standing there. She laughed at his dazed and slightly bewildered expression and shook her head.

"You wanted to speak to me." She reminded him.

"Oh...yeah..." Owen nodded. "Jack told me." Tosh's eyes widened. She turned to her workstation, looking for an excuse to get out of the conversation. "Tosh?"

She turned her head slightly and looked up at him through her hair.

"He told you? Told you what?" She asked, pretending not to know what he was talking about.

"Tosh, you know what." He said. She blushed a deep shade of red and turned away again. She felt his hand on her shoulder and she looked back up at him. His eyes were gentle and he spoke softly. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I just didn't think you'd be interested." She shrugged. "Why does it even matter?"

"Because if I'd have known...I wouldn't have been such a twat." He answered.

"But it still wouldn't have made you feel any different." She said.

"Probably not. You're gorgeous Tosh and I love you but only as a friend. I'm sorry if all this has upset you." He said.

"It's fine. I actually think you and Gwen would be great together." She told him.

"Are you sure you're ok with this?" He asked.

"I'm fine honestly." She answered.

"Good." Owen nodded. A few awkward seconds passed before he turned away. "Best let Gwen know she can come out now."

Tosh watched him go and smiled. Something in Owen had changed and it had changed for the better. She could only think it was Gwen who was the cause of it.

She looked up as they returned from the boardroom.

"I'm getting bloody tired of being ordered around." Gwen sighed.

"Sorry, I'll leave you alone now." Owen smiled.

"Actually, can you give me some more painkillers?" She asked, placing her hand over her wound.

"Are you sure you should be working in your condition?" Tosh asked.

"Oh, I'll be fine. Probably won't be able to chase after any Weevils today, not that I'm complaining." Gwen replied.

She started to walk down to the autopsy bay when she gasped and clutched her side. Tosh ran over to her and caught her arm as Owen grabbed her other one.

"Are you ok?" Tosh asked.

"Fine." She mumbled. "Just stretched it a bit too much."

"Help me get her down to the autopsy bay." Owen sighed. "You need to take it slow, you can't just run around with an injury like this. I'm giving you the painkillers then you're going back home to get some rest."

"No I'm not. I'm telling you, I'll be alright." Gwen argued.

Though he was getting frustrated with her, Tosh could still see the concern in his eyes.

"Owen's right. You need to get some rest and give it time to heal properly. You'll just make it worse if you don't." Tosh told her.

Gwen looked between them as they helped her down the steps and sighed. She couldn't argue with the two of them. Owen nodded thanks to Toshiko and she smiled back.

"I'll drive." Owen said to Gwen.

She rolled her eyes but didn't argue.

Tosh watched as Owen gently lifted Gwen to sit on the table, their eyes locked in a loving gaze. She waited for the pain in her chest to start but it didn't appear. She still wasn't completely over him but it wasn't painful any more. Maybe the chat earlier had helped her let go. Owen was right, she should have told him a long time ago. It would have saved her so much pain.

Not wanting to disturb them, she slipped away quietly and headed back to her computer.


	9. Chapter 9

Owen gently lifted Gwen's t-shirt up to tend to the wound. Her breath caught as she felt his warm fingers brush her skin.

"Sorry." He said quickly.

"No, no it didn't hurt it..." She let her voice drift off and she looked away from him.

"It still looks pretty sore but it should heal soon." He told her. "Ok, this might hurt just a bit."

He injected her with the painkiller causing her to flinch and grab his arm. He quickly glanced at her hand before carrying on. She smiled as he put a new dressing on it, his fingers working nimbly as he tried not to hurt her.

Once he'd finished, he helped her back up into the main area of the Hub.

"I've told Jack you're taking Gwen home." Tosh told them. "He thinks it's a good idea."

"Cheers Tosh." Owen nodded. "Come on you, home. Rest. Give me your car keys."

Gwen pulled her keys from her pocket and passed them to him.

As he drove her home, she yawned and leant her head back on the headrest.

"God, I'm tired." She sighed.

"That'll be the sedative I mixed in." He said. "When I said rest, I meant it. I'm not having you get hurt any more than you are." They pulled up outside her flat and he helped her inside. She was finding it hard to keep her eyes open now. "Bed." He ordered.

"No...no..." She mumbled. "Sofa's fine..."

He plonked her down on the sofa and she lay down, drawing her knees up.

"Listen, we can forget dinner tonight. We'll go some other time." He told her.

She seemed to wake up a little at this and tried to pull herself up.

"No, no we're not cancelling. We'll go tonight." She protested.

"Ok, ok. We're still going. Just lie down." He said. "I'll see you later."

"You'd better..." She mumbled.

She lay back down and closed her eyes. Owen sat on the edge of the sofa and waited for her to drift off. She fumbled blindly for his hand and held it tight in hers. He smiled as he listened to her slow, even breathing.

When he was sure she'd gone to sleep, he leant over and caught her lips in a tender kiss.

"Love you." He whispered and left the flat.

Gwen sighed and rolled over, a small smile on her face.

When she woke up a few hours later, she found that someone had draped a blanket over her. She remembered Owen saying something to her before he left. Did he say he was getting her a blanket? No, that didn't sound right. What was it he'd said?

She heard someone in the bedroom and sat up quickly. The blanket fell to the floor and her head spun as she listened hard.

Slowly making her way to the bedroom, she wished she'd thought to grab her gun. As she stood in the doorway, she found Rhys packing his clothes in a bag.

"You're really leaving?" She asked.

Rhys looked over at her as he placed some shirts into the bag.

"Yeah." He said. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't." She said. "Where will you go?"

"Banana said I could stay at his for a while." Rhys answered.

"You're staying at Banana's." She repeated.

"Yeah, is there a problem?" He asked.

"Rhys, you know what he's like. His idea of fun is getting pissed and ending up God knows where. He could get you into all sorts of trouble. He can't look after himself, never mind you. You can't stay with him." She argued.

"I can look after myself." Rhys shrugged. "Don't know why you're so worried."

"Because I care about you. I don't want you to get hurt." She told him.

"Should have thought about that before you decided to sleep with that twat from work." He snapped. Gwen stood staring at him, her eyes filling with tears. "I'm guessing you still haven't decided which one of us it is."

She shook her head.

"I told you, it's not as easy as that. I care about you both so much." She whispered.

She walked over to Rhys and cupped his face in her hands.

"I can't do this Gwen." He told her. "I love you but...how can I trust you? How do I know if I stay, you're not going to be seeing him behind my back? It's not going to work." She couldn't say anything, she didn't know what to say. He wiped a tear from her cheek and kissed her on her lips. She responded eagerly but he pulled away seconds later. "Goodbye Gwen."

He picked up his bag and left the flat. She sat down on the bed and held her face in her hands as she cried.

She thought about what Rhys had said. She had to choose between him and Owen. The safe option or the more risky option? She loved them both but she had to decide. With Rhys she could have a normal life outside of Torchwood and she could go home to him at the end of the day and pretend that just for a couple of hours, Torchwood didn't exist. All the terrifying things she'd seen she could pass off as a nightmare until she returned to the Hub. But she couldn't just use him as a distraction, if she wanted to be with him, it would be because she loved him. The problem was she didn't love him like she used to.

She thought about Owen and how ever since she'd met him, there was an instant attraction. He was sweet and he knew how to comfort her in ways Rhys didn't. He knew what the job was like and could help her get through things Rhys would never understand and she could do the same for Owen. Owen had been the one she had called when she had the nightmare. Owen was the one she'd thought about ever since that kiss in the cold storage locker. She'd never loved someone so much after meeting them just under three months ago.

There was her answer.

Her phone rang somewhere in the flat. She found her phone and answered it after checking the screen.

"Hey Owen." She said.

"Hey, figured you'd be awake by now. Just called to see if you were ok." He said.

"Yeah, I'm fine thanks." She answered, not entirely truthfully. "Rhys has just been over to pick up his stuff."

"Do you want me to come over? Jack's sent us all home early again." He asked.

"No, it's alright. I'll see you at six yeah?" She replied.

"Yeah, see you at six." He said.

She put the phone down and checked the time. It didn't surprise her that she'd been asleep for most of the day. The sedatives they had at Torchwood were powerful, only to be taken when absolutely necessary.

She had two hours to get ready for her dinner with Owen. Was it a date? Had Owen actually asked her on a date or was it just dinner? Whatever it was, she was just going to go out and have a good time.

She got herself ready just in time. She didn't want to be overdressed if it was just dinner but she didn't want to be under-dressed if it was a date. She'd settled on her best pair of black skinny jeans, a low cut blue blouse with her calf boots. Her hair was done up in a loose bun so that loose strands fell around her face. She'd outlined her eyes with black eye-liner and applied a pale pink lipstick.

The phone on the wall buzzed as she was finding her purse.

"Come on up." She said as she opened the door. A few seconds later, she heard footsteps outside her door. "Door's open." She called. The door opened and closed again and she turned to smile at the figure in front of her. "You're early."

Owen smiled back at her and walked over to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. She giggled and blushed as she turned away.

"You look beautiful." He said.

"Thanks. I didn't know what to wear so I just grabbed these." She said with a smile.

"Well, you still look lovely. You could be wearing rags and you'd still look beautiful." He told her. "I mean – you'd look fine – not that I don't think you're beautiful – because you are – I just -"

"Thank you. You're looking rather handsome yourself." She laughed.

He was wearing smart jeans with a white shirt, the top two buttons undone. She felt herself go hot again as she imagined herself unbuttoning it all the way.

"So, are you ready to go?" He asked.

"Yes, I'm ready." She nodded.

"Great. My lady?" He held his arm out to her and laughed as she looped her arm through his. "Your chariot awaits."

He led her out of the flat to his car and opened the door for her. She couldn't help but smile as he drove to the restaurant.

Once they'd pulled up, he jumped out to open her door and held out his hand.

"What are you after?" She giggled.

"Nothing. I just want tonight to be perfect." He said. Inside the restaurant, the waiter showed them to a table and took their orders. While they waited, Owen reached across the table for Gwen's hand. "Gwen, there's something I want to tell you. Do you remember the other night when I said I had to think about something as well?"

"Yes, I remember." She nodded.

"Well, I've been thinking and lately...actually it's been for a while now, I just wasn't really aware of it." He said. "What I'm trying to say is – oh piss off."

"Excuse me?" She frowned.

"Sorry, not you. I didn't mean you, I swear." He said quickly. "It's my phone." He pulled it out of his pocket and growled when he saw the number. "What is it Jack?"

"Hey, just wondering if you'd done that chemical analysis on the substance we found earlier." Jack said.

"Yes Jack, the paperwork's on your desk. Now if you don't mind, you're interrupting our date." Owen told him impatiently.

Gwen looked up at him, her eyes sparkling as he said the word.

"Oh, is that now? I'm so sorry." Jack apologised. "How's it going? Have you told her yet?"

"No, I was about to when you rang." He answered.

"Oh, I really am sorry. I'll leave you alone now." Jack said quickly.

"Yeah, I'd appreciate it." Owen said and put the phone down. "Gwen, I'm so sorry. I wanted this night to be perfect, a proper date but Jack -"

"It's fine. What were you going to tell me anyway?" She asked.

"Yes, right." He said, taking her hand again. "What I wanted to say was, for a while now, I've had these feelings. Feelings for you that have grown stronger. Gwen Cooper...I love you."

She stared into his eyes, her heart pounding in her chest. She wasn't aware of the tears falling down her cheeks until he wiped them away with his thumb.

"I love you too." She whispered.

He leant forward and kissed her. Her grip on his hand tightened as she responded. The kiss lasted a lifetime and neither wanted it to end. A small cough brought them back to reality as the waiter held their meals in his hands. They sat back in their chairs so he could place the plates on the table.

Gwen forgot what she was eating as she gazed into Owen's chocolate eyes. Both of them couldn't wait until they'd finished so they could pick up where they left off. They'd have a few minutes before dessert arrived. It wasn't like the fiery, passionate kisses they'd shared before, this was loving and gentle.

At the end of the night, Owen wrapped his arm around Gwen as they walked back to the car. She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed happily.

"I hope you enjoyed tonight." He said.

"I have." She breathed.

"Me too." He smiled.

She sat back against the seat, smiling at him as he drove her home.

As they stood outside her flat, Owen took her hands in his and kissed her.

"I wish tonight didn't have to end." She sighed.

"It doesn't have to." He said.

"You wanted this to be a proper date and I don't sleep with a guy on our first date...usually." She told him. "So goodnight, I'll see you tomorrow. I love you."

"We've already slept together so I think that sort of defeats the point but, alright. See you tomorrow, love you too." He said.

They kissed once more before he turned to leave.

"Wait." Gwen said quickly. "You can always come in for a drink, if you want."

Owen turned back and smiled.

"Yeah, ok." He nodded. Their drinks sat on the table, untouched as they lay in each other's arms in Gwen's bedroom. "So much for just having a drink." Owen laughed. Gwen giggled and shifted to get comfortable. She winced as she stretched her side. "I didn't hurt you did I?"

"No you didn't. God, I can't wait for this thing to go away." She sighed.

"It'll heal soon." He told her.

"Hmm." She nodded. "We should probably have those drinks now."

Owen watched her get up and put on her robe as she left the room. She came back with their drinks and passed him his glass.

"Gwen, tell me honestly. When you first met me, what did you think?" Owen asked.

"Honestly?" She grinned. He nodded and waited for her to continue. "I thought you were an annoying, sarcastic idiot. A good looking idiot though."

"You thought I was good looking?" He smirked.

"Yes." She nodded.

"I knew it." He said smugly to himself. "Girls just go mad for my looks."

"You're such a big head." She laughed.

"I'm not, I'm being honest." He said.

"You're being big headed." She giggled.

"That's it." He said.

He took Gwen's glass out of her hand and put it down with his. She squealed as he turned and pounced on her. He trailed kisses down her neck as she laughed.

She heard a key in the lock and stopped quickly.

"Owen, stop." She said, pushing him off her. "Wait here." She left the room and shut the door behind her. Rhys was standing in the hallway, swaying from side to side. "Rhys, what are you doing here?" She glanced at the clock. "It's one in the morning."

"I haven't finished speaking to you." He slurred.

"You're pissed. I'm not speaking to you while you're like this. Go back to Banana's and I'll call you tomorrow." Gwen said.

"No, we'll talk now." Rhys insisted.

"I told you I'm not speaking to you while you're drunk." She argued.

Gwen froze as the bedroom door opened behind her and Owen stepped out. She looked over her shoulder at him and thankfully he'd put some clothes on.

He'd heard the commotion and came out to defend her.

Rhys looked between Gwen and Owen, frowning.

"This is the twat you slept with isn't it." He spat. "I've only just moved out and you've already got someone in bed. You're such a sl-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence." Owen warned.

"You stay out of this. This is between me and Gwen." Rhys told him.

"If you're going to start calling the woman I love names and getting abusive, I will step in. Now I suggest you do as she says and crawl back to whatever hole you came out of. She'll call you in the morning." Owen said.

"Don't talk to me like that." He growled, taking a step towards Owen.

"Rhys, stop it." Gwen shouted.

"Shut the fuck up Gwen." Rhys snapped.

"Oi, don't talk to her like that." Owen shouted.

Both men took another step towards each other, fists clenched. Gwen quickly stepped between them and held her hands out.

"Both of you just stop it." She said. "Owen, go back in there. Rhys, just go."

"I'm not leaving you with him." Owen told her.

"I'll be fine, just go." She said. He shot a warning glare at Rhys before heading back into the bedroom. Gwen sighed and turned back to Rhys. She took his keys and pulled off the one to her flat before she passed them back to him. "Go back to Banana's and don't come back."

She opened the door and waited for him to leave. He stayed where he was, just staring at her. She stood her ground and stared back at him. When he saw she wasn't going to back down, he stormed out of the flat. She slammed the door behind him and returned to Owen.

"Good riddance." Owen said.

"What the hell were you playing at?" Gwen demanded.

"I wasn't going to just sit in here and let him speak to you like that." He argued.

"Well you coming out didn't help. You've just made it worse. He would have been long gone by now if you'd have just stayed in here." She shouted.

"Oh so next time some drunk tosser has a go at you, I'll just let him shall I? He could have done anything to you while he's in that state." He shouted back.

"No he wouldn't. Rhys isn't like that." She said.

"Yeah, he really looked like he wasn't the type." Owen nodded sarcastically.

"Shut up." She spat. "Why the hell did you do it in the first place? Did you deliberately want to start a fight and make things worse?" She demanded.

"No." He said.

"Then why?" She shouted.

"I did it because I love you and I didn't want to see you get hurt." He shouted.

Gwen's anger disappeared and she ran over to him, flinging her arms around his neck. She crushed her lips onto his and pressed herself into him. His arms snaked around her waist as he led her over to the bed.

The next day when Gwen went to see Rhys, she wasn't expecting things to go as well as they did. She agreed to meet him in front of the Millennium Centre.

"Hey." He said, warily, as he walked up to her.

"Hey." She replied coldly.

"I didn't think you'd come." He said.

"Yeah, well you're lucky I did. I wasn't going to after the way you spoke to me last night and the fight you almost started but Owen persuaded me to come and hear you out." She told him.

"Gwen, I'm so sorry about what happened. I was drunk and things were just going round and round in my head. I got myself wound up and I took it out on you. When I saw him there...it made me realise it was really over and I wasn't ready to give up yet." He explained.

"You were the one that finished it between us." Gwen pointed out.

"I know. But I shouldn't have." He said. "I guess it's too late now though."

"Yeah, it is." She nodded. "Rhys...I want to apologise too. I never intended for Owen to stay last night. We went out and when he brought me home, I was just going to say goodnight and that would be it. Like you I thought it was too soon but...I don't know, I guess I didn't want to listen to sense. I'm really sorry, for everything."

"We can still be mates though, can't we?" He asked.

"Course we can." She smiled. "Come here."

She pulled him into a tight hug and closed her eyes. Rhys cleared his throat as they pulled away, as if to hold back tears.

"I'll see you soon." He said.

"Yeah." She nodded.

She watched him leave before stepping onto the invisible lift.


	10. Chapter 10

**Tosh P.O.V**

Tosh sat at her workstation wondering if Owen would return once he'd taken Gwen home. The worried glances and the way he held onto Gwen made her think he wouldn't. What she'd seen in those eyes was a look she'd never forget. She'd only seen it a few times since she'd met him. All of them situations where Gwen was involved.

The Hub's rolling door opened and Owen stepped in.

"How is she?" Tosh asked.

"She's sleeping." He told her. She shot him a questioning look and he felt the need to explain. "I mixed in a dash of sedative with the painkillers – only a bit. You know what she's like, she'll go home but she'll get restless and do housework or something when she should be resting. The woman's so stubborn, she won't let me rearrange our date."

He laughed and smiled dreamily. Tosh smiled at him and when he caught her looking, he cleared his throat and turned to his computer.

"She's an amazing woman. She's got a good heart." Toshiko said.

"Yeah she has." Owen nodded.

"She was so confused the other night." Tosh sighed.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Oh...she came over to my flat to talk about something." She explained.

"What?" He frowned.

"Rhys...and you. I shouldn't be telling you this." Tosh said quickly.

"What did she say about me?" He asked curiously.

"It's not for me to say." Tosh said.

"Ok then if you're not going to answer that, answer this. Would it be a good idea to tell her how I feel about her?" He replied.

"How do you feel about her?" Tosh asked.

"I...I love her." Owen answered.

"You should tell her." She nodded.

"That's what Jack said." He mumbled.

Tosh watched him for the rest of the day. He fidgeted in his seat and tapped on the desk with his fingers. There was not much for them to do in terms of paperwork or research so he was getting restless.

After a while, he got up and went down to the autopsy bay to look for something to do. He reappeared minutes later sighing.

"You're nervous aren't you?" Tosh smirked.

"No – no of course not. What have I got to be nervous about?" He laughed.

"Owen, everything's going to be fine. You've got nothing to worry about, trust me." She smiled.

"Jack said that too." Owen sighed. "But what if she says she doesn't feel the same? I'll look like such an idiot. Maybe I shouldn't say anything."

"You won't look like an idiot because she – you just won't ok." Tosh told him. "I promise it'll all turn out fine."

Jack appeared in the doorway of his office and leant against the door frame.

"Ok guys, I guess you can go home. The world's not ending today so we might as well take advantage of it." Jack told them.

Tosh and Owen turned to leave the Hub as Ianto came up from the archives. She heard the Welshman saying goodbye to Jack before Jack stopped him.

"I think we should get out of here and quick." Owen whispered to Tosh.

"Why?" She frowned.

"Ianto, care to join me in my office?" Jack asked suggestively.

"Oh, right." Tosh said quickly. "Come on." They practically ran out of the Hub to their cars, not wanting to witness more. She smiled at Owen as she climbed into her car. "I hope you have a great night tonight, see you tomorrow."

"Yeah." Owen nodded, his face set in a queasy smile.

She watched him drive off before she did the same.

Sitting at her workstation the next morning, she looked up as the lift started to descend. Owen stepped off it as he reached the bottom.

"So how did it go last night?" She asked.

Owen's face broke into a smile as he joined her.

"You were right. It went amazing." He grinned. "Well...it did until her twat of an ex turned up at her flat last night."

"What happened?" Tosh sighed.

"He turned up drunk and started to have a go at Gwen. Naturally, I stepped up to defend her and...sort of – might have made things worse..." He answered. "I almost had a fight with Rhys."

"Owen." Tosh said, shaking her head.

"Don't. I've already had an earful off Gwen." He said. "She was pretty mad at us both. I apologised though and we're alright now. I'm not sure how she's feeling about him at the moment."

"Where is she?" Tosh asked.

"She's up there." Owen said, gesturing to the street above them. "He text her this morning and asked if they could meet up so he could apologise. She didn't want to go but I talked her into it. I knew if she didn't go today, she'd regret it some time in the future but it'd be too late."

"And getting her to talk to Rhys has nothing to do with the fact that this makes you look good and keeps you in Gwen's good books?" Tosh smirked.

"It's not like that at all." He said innocently.

He turned away but Tosh caught his cheeky grin.

A few minutes later, Gwen descended on the invisible lift. She was smiling so Tosh guessed the talk with Rhys went well.

Owen met her at the bottom and pulled her into a hug.

"Thank you." Gwen smiled.

"For what?" Owen asked.

"For telling me to go." She answered.

"I told you you wouldn't regret it." He shrugged.

"I love you." She sighed happily as she pulled him into a kiss. Toshiko tried to avert her eyes but she couldn't help but watch the couple. When they pulled away, Gwen looked up and spotted Tosh watching them. "Oh God, I'm so sorry. I didn't -"

"What are you saying sorry for? It's not like I haven't seen people kissing before." Tosh laughed.

"Yeah but..." Gwen said, glancing at Owen.

"It's fine, honestly." Tosh told her, smiling reassuringly.

"Ok." Gwen nodded, though she took a step away from Owen.

She shook her head and sighed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

If anyone had told Toshiko that she'd get over her feelings for Owen, she would have shook her head. So if someone had told her that she'd be standing in Gwen and Owen's new home almost two years later, getting ready to put on a bridesmaids dress for their wedding, she'd have laughed in their face and asked if they'd hit their head.

Yet here she was, standing in the guest bedroom in front of the mirror as she pulled on her bridesmaids dress.

"Toshiko dear, the hairdresser is here to do your hair." Gwen's mother shouted through the door.

"I'm almost done." Tosh called back.

"Ok. They've set up in the kitchen." Mary told her.

They'd hired two people to do Gwen's and her bridesmaids' hair. That way it would take less time to get through everyone.

She straightened out her dress and checked herself in the mirror before leaving the room.

Gwen was already sat in a chair in her robe, a slightly frightened expression on her face. Tosh recalled what had happened last night at Gwen's hen party.

_Gwen downed her third pint and went to put her glass down. Her hand was shaking and her eyes were wide._

"_Are you ok?" Tosh asked._

"_Fine, fine. Why wouldn't I be? I'm getting married in the morning – best day of my life. Why should I be anything but ok?" Gwen laughed, a little hysterically. Toshiko raised her eyebrows and looked at the empty glass in front of her. "It's my hen night. I'm allowed to drink."_

_Tosh reached across and placed her hand over Gwen's._

"_Gwen, it's ok to be a little nervous. Everyone gets pre-wedding nerves. But I promise, everything's going to be fine." Toshiko told her._

"_I'm not nervous." Gwen said quickly._

_Tosh sat back in her chair and sighed._

"Your dress is all set out for you to get into once you've had your hair done." Gwen's mum told her.

"Oh...right, yes." Gwen nodded.

Tosh watched out of the corner of her eye as Gwen played with a piece of tissue in her hands. She was shaking worse than she was the night before.

Once the hairdressers had done their job, Toshiko went to help Gwen into her dress. As she straightened herself out, she heard Gwen muttering to herself.

"Gwen?" Tosh asked. Gwen continued on as if she hadn't heard her. "Gwen!"

Gwen spun around and looked at her like a rabbit caught in the headlights.

"Sorry." Gwen said.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Tosh asked.

"Yes." She nodded. "Listen, I'm just going to get myself a drink of water. I'll – er – I'll be back in a minute."

Tosh listened to Gwen's footsteps down the stairs.

A few seconds later, she heard the front door open and close then the sound of a car engine and tires squealing. Tosh ran down the stairs and out into the garden.

"Shit." She mumbled.

Gwen's mum came out and stood beside her.

"What's happened?" Mary asked.

"Gwen's car's gone. She's done a runner." Tosh answered. Mary gasped beside her as the younger woman pulled out her phone. She dialled Jack's number and waited for him to answer. The guys had stayed at Ianto's last night. When he answered, she didn't wait for him to say anything. "Jack, we've got a situation. Gwen's disappeared."

"What do you mean disappeared? As in just vanished off the face of the Earth?" Jack joked.

"No. I mean disappeared as in she's got in her car and drove off at full speed." Tosh answered seriously.

"Oh. Do you know where she could've gone? Why she left?" Jack asked.

"No, I don't know anything. She was nervous last night and this morning but she said she was fine. I guess she was lying." Tosh told him.

"Ok, meet me at the Hub, we'll go look for her. Ianto can stay here with Owen and stall him." Jack instructed.

"Ok." Tosh nodded and ended the call. She turned back to Gwen's mum who had her hand over her mouth, looking around worriedly. "Mrs Cooper, I'm going out to find her. Take my number, if you hear anything, call me. I'll do like wise. I know Gwen's home number, I'll call on that. Keep the phone line clear ok."

Mary nodded and took Toshiko's number. The Japanese woman ran off down the street to her car.

Never would she have imagined herself in this situation.


	11. Chapter 11

Gwen was sat on the grass on a blanket she kept in the car. She was in one of the quiet areas of Cardiff in a beautiful public garden. There was no one else around as she stared at the colourful flowers planted in the beds around her. It was the place Owen had proposed to her. She smiled at the memory.

__She was curled up on the sofa late in the evening when Owen walked in, back from some errand he said he needed to go on.__

"__Here, try this on." Owen smiled, handing Gwen a paper bag.__

__She pulled out a long black dress and gasped.__

"__It's beautiful." She whispered.__

"__Go put it on." He said.__

__She grinned and ran up to their bedroom.__

__She returned minutes later and twirled around.__

"__It's gorgeous. Thank you." She smiled and kissed him.__

"__You look amazing." He said. "Wait here."__

__He kissed her again and left to get changed. She looked back down at her dress and ran her hands over the material. She tried to remember if there was some special occasion she'd forgotten but she couldn't think of anything.__

__When he came back, she saw he was wearing a smart suit. Owen never wore a suit. Now she was confused.__

"__Are we going somewhere?" She asked.__

__Owen smiled and said nothing. He led her out to the car and opened the door for her.__

__The sun was setting as they drove out to a remote spot. It cast a warm, orange glow into the car. She felt as if she was in one of those films where a princess would ride into the sunset with her Prince Charming. Was Owen her Prince Charming?__

__She frowned when he stopped the car and got out. Where were they?__

"__It's just through here." Owen laughed as he caught the confused look on her face.__

__He took her hand and led her down a path. The sun had set now and Gwen gripped him tighter as they walked in the dark. She didn't like walking in the dark in a place she didn't know. It was one of those moments she wished she'd brought her gun but something told her she wouldn't need it.__

__As they walked, she saw a warm glow growing brighter as they got closer. They eventually walked through an arch of flowers into a small clearing. The ground was dotted with candles and she gasped. He pulled her into the centre of the clearing and held her around her waist. Soft music floated through from somewhere in the distance. She looked into the dark to find the source but found none.__

__"I asked the owners of the gardens for a favour. I owe them big time."__

__She smiled as he caught her lips in a gentle kiss and started to sway to the music. He took one of her hands in his and kept his other arm wrapped tight around her waist. Sighing dreamily, she wrapped her free hand around his shoulders and rested her head on his shoulder. Her eyes closed as she let him move them around in small circles.__

__After a while, he pulled away and Gwen noticed someone approaching them. He was dressed in a smart uniform carrying a tray in one hand with two glasses of wine on top. Owen took the glasses and nodded at him. He left with a slight bow as he handed her one of the glasses.__

"__Wow. I feel like royalty." She smiled.__

__They clinked their glasses together and sipped from their drinks.__

"__Gwen, I love you so much." He whispered. "You're the most amazing woman a man could ask for and you've made me so happy. There's something I want to ask you and hopefully you'll make me even happier." He knelt down on one knee, placing his glass on the floor beside him. Gwen's eyes widened as he pulled out a small box and opened it. "Gwen Cooper, will you marry me?"__

__She stared in shock at the ring in front of her.__

"__Owen I..." She whispered. "Yes, I will. I love you."__

"__I love you too. You have no idea how happy I am right now." He smiled and slipped the ring onto her finger.__

__As he stood up again, he pulled her into another passionate kiss. The music started once again and they floated around the garden, gazing into each other's eyes. Both of them had tears glistening in the corners of their eyes as they shared more gentle kisses.__

Gwen wiped the tears from her face as the memory faded. It was the most romantic night she'd ever had and she'd never forget it. Everything was so perfect.

Soft footsteps padded towards her but she didn't turn around.

"How did you know I was here?" She asked.

"Just a hunch." Owen said as he sat down beside her. "It's so peaceful here, great place to get some time alone. Thinking about anything interesting?"

"The night you proposed. It was so magical and everything I could have asked for." She said. She looked down at her hands in her lap, the engagement ring sparkling on her finger, and sighed. "I'm so sorry." She whispered.

"What for?" He asked.

"For running away. I don't know what happened, one minute I couldn't wait to walk down that aisle and the next...I just panicked and I had to get out of there." She told him.

He took her hand in his and squeezed it gently.

"Why did you panic?" He asked.

"Because I don't know if I'm ready for all this." She turned to look at him for the first time.

"Gwen, I'm not going to lie to you. A few days ago, I was thinking the same thing you are now. Is this too soon? Am I ready for this?" He told her. "I thought about running, I thought about just leaving and forgetting about this whole thing. Do you know what changed my mind?"

"No, what?" She asked.

"You. When I saw you get all excited with Tosh when you were planning the wedding, I realised I could never leave you, I love you too much. You're the only person I want to wake up to every morning. You're the one I want to spend the rest of my life with." He explained.

"I want that too." She said.

"If you're not ready for this yet, we can postpone it." He said.

"No we can't." She told him. "Because we're getting married today."

She stood up determinedly and brushed off her dress. He pulled himself up and hugged her tight. When he let go, he ran his thumb over her cheek.

"You look beautiful by the way." He smiled.

"Oh no. It's bad luck for you to see me before the wedding." She gasped.

"I don't think we'll be having any more bad luck today." Owen said.

"You're forgetting who we work for." Gwen smiled.

"True." He nodded. "But nothing is going to ruin this day for us, I won't let it. Come on, we should get back before they think we've both done a runner."

He took her hand and held it tight as they made their way back to their cars. She turned to him before they got into their separate cars.

"Well, I guess the next time I'll see you is at the end of the aisle." She said.

"Yep." Owen nodded.

"See you there." She grinned and went to turn to get into her car. She paused and turned back. "I guess since you've seen me before the wedding, a little kiss should be fine. Shouldn't it?"

Owen stepped up to her and crushed his lips onto hers. She wound her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. His hands gripped her hips as he leant his forehead on hers.

"We should get going." He whispered, kissing her again. "We really should wait until after the wedding."

"Mmhmm." She nodded before covering his lips with hers.

He growled and pulled away.

"No, really. We have to go." He told her. "We'll be late for our wedding and I don't know if I can wait any longer to make you Mrs Harper."

Gwen grinned and pulled away from him.

"You're right." She nodded. Owen went to give her another quick kiss but she pulled away. "I'm not kissing you again until we are officially Mr and Mrs Harper. I'll see you soon."

Owen smiled and watched her climb into her car and drive off.

When Gwen pulled up outside her house, her mum and dad came running out.

"Gwen, there you are. We've been so worried. Where have you been?" Her mum asked as she climbed out the car.

"I'm sorry for worrying you. I just needed time to clear my head that's all." She told her parents.

"Well, we're glad you're back now." Her father said.

Gwen walked back into the house and was met by Toshiko.

"Are you really ok?" Tosh asked.

"Yes, I'm fine now." Gwen nodded. "I spoke to Owen and -"

"Owen saw you before the wedding?" Her mum gasped.

Gwen shot a puzzled look at Tosh.

"They didn't know Owen was coming to find you, I didn't tell them. I was meant to go with Jack but he called and said Owen had it covered. I knew your parents wouldn't like it so I just told them Jack had already found you and you'd be back soon." Tosh explained.

"The groom's not supposed to see the bride before the wedding." Mary scolded.

"Yeah well if he hadn't, I don't think I'd have come back." Gwen argued. "I don't think anyone but him could have brought me back. He wanted to run too but he didn't because he loved me. I love him and if he did that for me, I can do it for him."

Gwen's parents smiled at her.

"That's so sweet." Mary smiled.

"Yeah..." Gwen said. "Don't you mind that he wanted to bail?"

"A little but he obviously thinks a lot of you." Geraint answered.

"Plus it figures Owen thought about running." Tosh added, accidentally out loud.

"What do you mean?" Gwen frowned.

"Nothing." She said quickly.

Gwen's parents glanced at each other and quickly exited the room. There was no way they were going to get in the middle of this.

"No, tell me Tosh. What did you mean by 'it figures he thought about running'?" She asked.

"Well...it's just...this is Owen we're talking about. He doesn't do serious relationships. It just figures he'd freak out about this." Tosh answered nervously.

"Why are you saying this now? Do you still have feelings for him and you're jealous? Is that it?" Gwen demanded.

"No, I'm over that. I'm not jealous. You know I'm seeing Tommy now." Tosh replied.

"He's a frozen soldier in our morgue. You only see him for one day once a year and we don't even know how much longer that's going to be for. I'd hardly call that a relationship." Gwen said. "I think you're using Tommy as a distraction from Owen."

"I'm not. I love Tommy and when we get that day together, it's romantic and nice." Tosh said defensively. "And I'd hardly think you're the relationship goddess or whatever. How many guys did you get through in college? Then you cheated on your own boyfriend with Owen of all people. The man who went out shagging every girl in Cardiff. Do you really think he was thinking of anything else but having a quick shag with the new girl?" Gwen just stood, stunned at Tosh's outburst. Tosh took a few deep breaths and sighed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. Owen loves you, he has done from the start. Don't listen to what I said. I'm just letting old feelings get the better of me. I'm really sorry Gwen."

"It's...it's fine." She said, still in utter shock. "I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to say what I did. You and Tommy are great for each other. Just, promise me you'll prepare for the day you might have to say goodbye. I don't want to see you get hurt again."

"I promise." Tosh nodded, giving her a small smile. "Come on, this is your wedding day. Let's not spoil it with stupid arguments."

Tosh went to walk off into the kitchen but Gwen grabbed her arm and stopped her. When Tosh looked up, she saw fright in Gwen's eyes.

"Tosh, what you said about Owen not doing serious relationships -"

"Ignore it. He loves you so much and you said it yourself. He's prepared to spend the rest of his life with you. I've never seen Owen this happy or serious about anyone." Tosh told her.

"But what if he changes his mind?" She asked.

"He won't." Tosh said.

"But he might. He wondered whether us getting married now was too soon. What will he think when I tell him..." Her voice trailed off as she wiped a fresh tear from her cheek.

"Tell him what?" Tosh asked gently.

Gwen took Tosh's hand and led her up to the bathroom. She rummaged around in one of the cabinets and reached for something hidden at the back. Tosh couldn't see the box as she pulled it out but she heard Gwen take something from it. Gwen turned and showed her what was in her hand. Tosh gasped at the positive pregnancy test.

"Only found out myself yesterday morning." Gwen said, staring in disbelief at the thing in her hand. She clenched her fist around it, putting it out of her sight. "We can't tell him Tosh, not yet."

"He needs to know." Tosh told her.

"I know but...we need to get through today first...and maybe our honeymoon. Get the idea in his head before I spring this on him. So, a few weeks maybe." Gwen rambled.

"Gwen, you can't put a thing like this off. He's going to find out soon." She said.

"I know but don't you think he should get used to the idea of us being married first?" Gwen asked.

Tosh folded her arms and shot her a stern look.

"You're going to tell him." Tosh said in a tone that couldn't be argued with. "I'll give you a week to do so or I'll tell him for you. He won't be impressed at hearing it from me so I suggest you tell him yourself."

"You can't – you're not serious." Gwen panicked. "Fine, fine I'll tell him. I promise by the end of the week, he'll know."

"Good." Tosh nodded. "Now come on, your hair needs tidying again and your make-up's smudged. Hang on, did you kiss Owen before the wedding?"

"Oh don't you start too." Gwen sighed.

"Alright fine, come on." Tosh said.

She left the room and Gwen looked back at the test. She took a deep breath before shoving it back in it's box and to the back of the cupboard. She really didn't need this right now.


	12. Chapter 12

****A/N:**** I know my Tosh chapters are only short, I just don't know what to put in them. Sorry!

****Tosh P.O.V****

Tosh watched Gwen walking up the aisle, her eyes lingering on the bride's stomach. She couldn't explain why she'd flipped at Gwen earlier, apart from that she was right in some respect. She was jealous but not because it was Owen. It was because she loved Tommy and yet she could never have this with him. No one knew when he would be needed or what for. Tosh didn't even know if he'd be around after he'd done his job. Why did she always fall in love with the wrong guy?

The news of Gwen's pregnancy had shocked her. She hadn't meant to be so harsh when she told her she had to tell Owen. She was just trying to protect them both. Her friends had been through enough already. A secret like this could mean big trouble.

Toshiko turned her gaze to Owen. He was beaming as he watched his bride walking towards him. He'd almost run from his wedding so would he really run if he found out there was a child on the way? No, he would never do that. He loved Gwen too much and when he found out she was carrying his baby, he'd support her in every way he could. Owen wasn't the type of man to run away from his responsibilities, no matter what he'd done in the past.

Tosh suspected that it wasn't that Gwen thought Owen wasn't ready, it was that Gwen wasn't ready herself.

The ceremony ended well without any interferences from the rift or other Torchwood issues, surprisingly. She'd brought along her pocket rift monitor to keep track of any unusual readings, but so far so good. She informed Jack of the readings once they all headed out to the reception.

"Good. Keep an eye on it though. I get nervous when it's this quiet." Jack said. "I've set my wrist strap to alert so we can both monitor the rift. For now, let's enjoy the party."

He grinned and disappeared into the crowd, no doubt in search of a relative of Gwen's to flirt with.

She made her way over to Ianto, grabbing a drink on the way.

"You ok Tosh?" He asked.

"Yeah." She sighed. "I just wish Tommy were here. He would have liked to have to come to the wedding."

Ianto knew what it was like to lose a loved one to Torchwood but in a way Tosh had already lost Tommy. He pulled her into a one armed hug and kissed the top of her head. She smiled gratefully at him and hugged him back. They watched as Gwen and Owen walked out onto the dance floor for their first dance.

"It's hard to believe they're married isn't it." He laughed. "They used to be at each other's throats and yet here they are."

"I know and with a baby on the way." Tosh smiled.

She froze as she realised what she'd said and looked up at Ianto.

"Gwen's pregnant?" He asked.

"Ianto you have to promise you won't tell anyone. She hasn't even told Owen yet." Tosh panicked.

"I won't say anything." Ianto promised.

"Thanks." Tosh nodded.

"Why doesn't Owen know yet?" He frowned.

"I think she's scared. It's a huge step in their relationship, one she's not sure she's ready to take. She won't admit it though. She said it's Owen that's not ready." Tosh explained.

They watched the couple dancing and clapped once they'd finished. Owen kissed Gwen lightly on the lips before Gwen's mother tapped him on the shoulder. Gwen smiled and watched them as Owen held his hand out for Mary. She looked around and spotted Tosh and Ianto and walked over to them.

"Congratulations Mrs Harper." Ianto smiled.

Gwen giggled and bowed her head shyly.

"Thanks Ianto." She smiled.

When Owen joined them a few minutes later, he wrapped his arms around Gwen from behind. Tosh watched Gwen flinch as Owen's hands brushed her stomach. She quickly glanced at Ianto and nudged him when she caught him staring at the bride's stomach. Ianto looked away quickly, shoving his hands in his pockets. Tosh smiled as Gwen leant back against Owen, her eyes closing and a small smile on her lips.

"Ianto, how about a dance?" Tosh asked. "We should let the newly weds have some time on their own."

As Ianto led her away, Tosh glanced at Gwen meaningfully. Gwen looked back at her wide-eyed and shook her head slightly. She sighed and followed Ianto onto the dance floor.

"She's not going to tell him yet." Ianto said.

"Nope." Tosh sighed. "She won't be able to put it off for long though, he's going to notice eventually."

Ianto nodded as he slipped his arms around Tosh.

"Tosh...if Tommy got to stay, would you get married do you think?" He asked.

"Maybe." She nodded but then added sadly. "But I'm not that lucky."

"You'll find the one someday Tosh. Don't give up hope." Ianto said.

She just smiled at him and said nothing. Looking over Ianto's shoulder she spotted Jack trying to chat up one of Gwen's uncles. She laughed and shook her head.

"He never stops does he?" She giggled.

Ianto glanced at Jack and turned back quickly.

"No he doesn't." Ianto mumbled.

Tosh caught the hint of jealousy in his voice and squeezed his hand gently.


	13. Chapter 13

Gwen turned in Owen's arms and wrapped her arms around his neck. They gazed into each other's eyes, smiling lovingly. She couldn't bring herself to tell him just yet. She pulled him down to capture his lips in a gentle kiss.

"I love you Mrs Harper." He whispered.

"I love you too." She smiled.

"You know, I'm glad they left us alone." Owen smirked. "Now I can do this."

He placed one hand on the small of her back, pressing her into him, and tangled the other in her hair. His lips burned the skin of her neck as he attacked it with kisses. She moaned and gripped his arms tight. As her eyes slid shut, she turned her head to search for his lips with hers. He gave her what she wanted and crushed his lips onto hers. Her hands slid up his arms to his hair and she locked her fingers into it.

"Save it for the honeymoon." A voice said.

They broke apart but stayed pressed against each other. Jack stood smirking at them.

"Well then, we're leaving. Right now." Owen said, turning to look back at Gwen hungrily.

"You can't go now, the party's only just started." Jack pouted.

"You can stay if you like but we're going." Gwen told him.

Owen grinned and grabbed Gwen's hand.

"Everyone, the bride and groom's leaving." Jack shouted. "Time to see them off."

They all piled out as Gwen and Owen went to get in the car. Gwen stopped and threw her bouquet over her shoulder. She turned to see a stunned Tosh looking at the flowers in her hand. Owen pulled her into the back of the car and closed the door.

"Step on it." He told the driver. "Get us there quick and I'll give you an extra fifty quid." He turned his attention back to his new wife as the driver put his foot down. "Finally, we can be alone. A whole week, just the two of us."

"Just the two of us." Gwen repeated, fighting the urge to glance down at her stomach.

They'd decided not to go anywhere fancy for their honeymoon. Just a small hotel in a remote part of Wales.

As promised, Owen threw the driver a fifty pound note as he pulled up outside the hotel.

Gwen couldn't help but giggle as Owen quickly checked them in and ran them up to their room. He opened the door and threw their bags inside. She squealed as he scooped her up in his arms and carried her into the room, kicking the door shut behind him. Their lips met in a fiery kiss as he made his way over to the bed. He placed her onto it and she scrambled back, pulling him with her without breaking the kiss. Clothes were shed quickly and he looked down at the woman beneath him. His hands resting on the soft, creamy skin of her hip. He looked at her hand on his shoulder, the rings on her finger glistening in the light binding her to him and only him. She smiled at him and felt for the hand bearing his own ring. He leant down, placing kisses along her jaw and peppering her face, saving her lips for last. His hands gripped her hips tighter as she arched her back, pressing herself into him and he growled into her shoulder. Pulling back, she raised an eyebrow and smirked as her hands wandered.

"Gwen." He moaned. She gasped as he grabbed her hands and pinned them either side of her head. "I'm not going to last long if you keep that up."

"That's the idea." She smirked.

"Sorry, but I intend for you to enjoy every second of this. After all, it is our first time as a married couple." He whispered. Her eyes slid shut as he brushed his lips down the length of her neck to her shoulder. "It's my duty as a husband to take care of you."

"Well, I'm not going to get in the way of that." She breathed.

The next morning, Gwen woke up with Owen's arm draped over her. She looked down at his hand, fingers spread across her stomach. There was already a slight change there, just a little. Small enough to pass off as a little weight gain.

She could only just see herself as a wife never mind a mother. It wasn't the fact that she didn't want to be a mum, it was just how was she meant to care for a child with her job? She couldn't run after aliens with a baby strapped to her back. A vision of her with a huge baby bump bulging under her jacket as she waddled after a Weevil appeared in her head. It was just ridiculous. She couldn't abandon her team either. They barely managed as it was without one member down.

A soft shuffling sound broke her out of her thoughts and she felt Owen shift closer. She looked over her shoulder and found him leaning up on his arm, smiling down at her.

"Morning Mrs Harper." He smiled.

"Morning." She smiled back.

Looping an arm around his neck, she pulled him down for a kiss. He gently rolled her over to face him and leant his forehead against hers.

"You ok?" He asked, brushing his thumb over the purple marks he'd left last night.

"I'm fine. How about you?" She replied.

"I'm perfect." He answered. "You seemed to be thinking. Anything good?"

"No just...silly stuff." She answered.

"Care to share?" He asked.

"It's nothing honestly." She said, shaking her head.

"Ok." He shrugged. "But you know you can tell me anything. Anything at all."

"I know." She nodded and kissed him again. "So, what do we have planned for today?"

"Anything you want. We've got a whole week to do whatever we want. No Jack telling us what to do, no aliens, no rift, just us." He said. "There's just one thing I want to do first."

"What is it?" She asked. He pulled her closer and kissed her gently. "Again?" She giggled.

"This time I don't want to just...have sex. I want to make love to you." He told her.

She cupped his face in her hand and smiled as she stroked his cheek with her thumb. Bringing her lips up to his, she sighed in contentment and let him roll them so he was hovering over her.

They spent the week just taking walks and picnics in the quiet surroundings, wrapped in each other's arms. It was relaxing and fun just spending time with each other without having to worry about work.

On the last day, they'd gone to a little clearing just down the way from the hotel. They'd spread a blanket out on the grass and Gwen lay across it with her head in Owen's lap. His fingers ran through her hair as she stared up at the sky. Her hands wandered onto her stomach before she realised it. She still hadn't told him yet and she wasn't quite sure how much longer she was going to wait to tell him.

"I wish we didn't have to go back tomorrow." She sighed.

"I know." He said. "This week's been so amazing it just seems a shame we have to go back."

"Do you think Jack would mind if we just...didn't go back?" She asked.

"I think he would. Just a little." Owen laughed.

"It was worth a try." She sighed.

They left the hotel early the next morning, sad that their week was over but excited to start their new life as a married couple.

Owen told Gwen he'd meet her at the Hub once he'd dropped their bags back home.

As she walked through the rolling door, Tosh smiled over at her.

"So, how did he take it?" Tosh asked. Gwen looked away quickly and cleared her throat uncomfortably. "You haven't told him have you?"

"Not quite." She mumbled. "I got close to telling him but...never actually...told him."

"Gwen." Tosh sighed.

"I know, I know." Gwen said. "It's just, this week was so magical."

Tosh was about to say something when Jack came out of his office.

"Welcome back Mrs Harper." He grinned. "Where's the other half?"

"He's taking our stuff home, he'll be here soon." She answered.

"Well, don't think I'm going to take it easy on you because it's your first day back. Possible Weevil sighting in Splott. You're coming with me." Jack told her.

"Wonderful." Gwen smiled sarcastically and followed him back out of the Hub, grabbing her communications device on her way.

Meanwhile, Owen was unpacking the things that needed to go back in the bathroom. He opened the cupboard to put away his shaving gear when he spotted something in the back. Frowning, he pulled it out and looked at it. He froze as he saw what it was. Grabbing his phone from his pocket, he dialled Gwen's number.

"Shit." He spat as it went to answer phone.

He ran down the stairs, the object still in his clenched hand as he left the house.

The sirens sounded as he entered the Hub.

"Owen, hey." Tosh smiled.

"Where's Gwen?" He demanded.

"Out with Jack. Why?" Tosh frowned. Owen opened up his hand and Tosh gasped. "Oh, you found it."

"What do you mean? Did you know about this?" He asked.

"She only found out the day before the wedding." Tosh answered helplessly. She pressed the button on her comms. "Gwen, Owen's at the Hub. I think you'd better come back."

"Why? What's wrong?" Gwen asked through the device.

"You just need to come back." Tosh answered.

"I'm on my way. It was a false alarm anyway." She replied.

Owen paced as he waited for her to return. His fist clenched tightly around the thing in his hand.

When she returned with Jack, she greeted him with a big smile. Jack shot him a wink.

"Good to see you again." Jack said.

Owen nodded once at the Captain before looking back to Gwen. She walked up to him, still smiling.

"What is it?" She asked. Owen glanced between Tosh and Jack before pulling Gwen down to the autopsy bay. He kept his back to her as they stood in the small room. "Is there something wrong? Owen, you're scaring me. What is it?"

He turned and held his hand out to pass her something. She took it from him and frowned before opening her hand. Her eyes widened and her head shot up to look back at him.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked. Gwen backed up and lowered herself onto the steps, staring at the pregnancy test. Waiting for his answer, he stood in front of her with his hands on his hips. "Well? Why didn't you say anything?"

When she looked up, he saw that she was crying.

"Because I'm scared." She whispered.

Owen sat beside her, turning his body to face her.

"What is there to be scared of?" He asked.

"Owen, we're not ready to be parents. Look what happened on our wedding day. How are we going to react when the baby's due? Plus, how are we meant to look after it with this job? There's no way we can balance work with a family. I've got no idea how to look after a baby, I'll be a terrible mother." She explained.

Owen took her hand in his.

"No you won't. You'll be the best mum there is. I know when this baby comes, you'll love it with all your heart and everything will come to you. I know we've just got married but...the thought of having a baby with you...it just completes us." He told her.

"Are you saying you want this?" She asked.

"Yes, I do." He nodded. "And you do too, I can see it in your eyes. You might not think you're ready but you so are. As for this job, we'll find a way to make it work."

Gwen smiled at him and nodded.

"We will." She agreed. He squeezed her hand and kissed her forehead. She leant into him as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Aren't you angry I didn't say anything though?"

"No, I'm not mad. I'm upset that you didn't come to me sooner but I'm not mad. Right now though, I'm just so happy. In a few months we're going to be parents." He told her. "How long do you think it's been?"

Gwen thought back and counted in her head.

"I reckon about just over a month now." She answered.

"Do you want to see it?" He smiled.

She looked up at him and bit her lip.

"I do, yes." She nodded. Owen stood up and pulled out his scanner. He motioned for Gwen to come over and sit up on the table. "I seem to be spending a lot of time here." She sighed as she hoisted herself up.

"That's the thing about this job. It's a miracle if someone's not injured at some point in the week." Owen told her. "At least this time it's for something good." He grabbed his lab coat and placed it at the top of the table for her to rest her head on. "Lie back."

She did as she was told and shifted to try and get comfortable. As he pulled her t-shirt up, he smiled down at her stomach and placed a hand gently over it. He stroked her stomach with his thumb causing her to giggle.

"Are you quite finished?" She laughed.

"Sorry." He grinned and proceeded with the scan.

"Wow, that's cold." Gwen gasped as the gel made contact with her skin.

They both laughed and stopped suddenly when the image appeared. They stared at the projection on the wall, Owen in amazement and Gwen in confusion.

"I can't see it." She frowned.

He froze the image and helped her to sit up.

"You see that darker patch?" He said, pointing to it. She nodded. "That's it. It'll start to take shape as it develops and you'll be able to see it a lot clearer."

Gwen's expression turned into a huge smile as she continued to look at the screen. She felt tears building up in the corners of her eyes. Owen's hand slipped into hers and she turned to look at him.

"That's our baby." She whispered.

"Yeah it is." Owen nodded. "I can print off a picture if you like and I can do the scans. I mean – you could always get another doctor to do it if you want. I just -"

"Owen, of course I want you to do it. That would make this even more special." She told him.

"Thanks." Owen said.

"Can I wipe this gel off now? It's getting my shirt all sticky." She cringed.

He pressed the print button on the machine before grabbing some tissues and standing in front of her.

"I'll do it." He said quietly.

Their eyes locked as he dabbed gently at her stomach, wiping away the excess gel. Gwen placed her hand on his shoulder and kissed him on his lips. They pulled away for a few seconds before their lips met in a fiery kiss. The tissue fell from Owen's grasp but his hand stayed where it was. He moved between her legs as she pulled him closer by the front of his shirt.

Neither of them noticed Jack as he stepped out onto the balcony. Jack was about to break them up when he noticed the picture sliding out of the scanner. He stepped quietly into the bay and picked it up.

"You're pregnant?" He said before he could stop himself. Owen spun around in surprise, almost pulling Gwen off the table. "Sorry." Jack said sheepishly. He turned to look at Gwen. "Is it true?"

"You've got the scan in your hand." Gwen answered.

"This is brilliant. Congratulations." Jack grinned and pulled Owen into a hug.

"Whoah." Owen said as he pushed Jack away. "A hand shake will do just fine thanks."

Jack laughed and shook Owen's hand vigorously. Then he turned to Gwen and pulled her off the table into a hug. She giggled as he spun her around. He let go and ran back onto the balcony.

"Tosh, Ianto, we're having a baby." Jack shouted. The other two team members joined him on the balcony. "We're having a baby."

Tosh and Ianto smiled at each other and nodded.

"Ianto knew too." Owen realised. He turned to Gwen who looked back at him in surprise. "So Tosh __and__ Ianto knew before I did?"

"I didn't know he knew." Gwen shrugged helplessly. "I only told Tosh."

Everyone turned to face Tosh who turned bright red.

"I didn't mean to. It just...sort of slipped out." She said.

"To be honest, I don't care right now because I'm going to be a dad." Owen told them. He wrapped an arm around Gwen's waist and kissed the top of her head. "I love you so much."

"I love you too." She smiled.

Jack passed the scan picture to Tosh and Ianto before returning it to the newly weds.

Nine months later, Gwen rubbed her aching back as she waddled over to her workstation. Jack had called Owen in to do an autopsy and Gwen asked to come with him. She couldn't get comfy at home and she was sick of seeing the same four walls. With the baby due at any moment, it was too much effort for her to leave the house all the time.

She lowered herself into the chair and sighed. Though she couldn't see her feet over her huge bump, she knew they were swollen. Kicking off her shoes, she stretched out her legs and rested her hands over her stomach.

"Wow, looking good Gwen." Jack laughed.

"Shut it Harkness." She snapped. Owen tugged at Jack's shoulder and mumbled something to him. "What are you saying about me?"

"Nothing sweetheart." Owen said innocently. He quickly walked over and kissed her. "I'll be right back once I've done this autopsy."

He placed a quick kiss just below where her hands rested, earning a smile from her. She watched him and Jack disappear down into the autopsy room. Tosh sat down beside her and smiled.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Bloody awful. My back's killing me, my feet are sore, I'm hot all the time, there's this terrible cramp in my stomach and I just can't get comfy. I wish it would just hurry up already." Gwen complained. "Where's Ianto?"

"Here." Ianto said as he appeared back from the archives.

"Couldn't get us a coffee could you?" She asked.

"Certainly, but it's decaf for you I'm afraid." Ianto answered.

"I know." Gwen sighed. "Owen makes me drink it at home."

Ianto went off to make the drinks as Tosh giggled.

Suddenly, the alarms sounded and the lights flashed. Tosh spun around to check the computer screen as Jack and Owen ran up from the autopsy room.

"The Hub's going into lock down." She told them.

"Why, what's going on?" Jack asked.

"I don't know." Tosh answered.

"Ok, try and get the computers back online, we might have some power left somewhere. If you manage to do that, do a full scan of the Hub and let me know if you find anything." Jack ordered.

"Where are you going?" Tosh asked as he ran off.

"I'm going to take look around." Jack called back. He came back a few minutes later looking unimpressed. "Who didn't shut one of the cell doors properly?" He demanded.

"It must have been me." Ianto said as he joined them. "I took a Weevil down earlier. I thought I'd closed it, sorry. Why?"

"It got out and chewed through some of the wiring. It must have short circuited the Hub's security system and caused the lock down. The Weevil was pretty stunned when I threw it back in the cell so I'm guessing it got one hell of a shock." Jack explained. "Any way of over riding it Tosh?"

"No sorry, it's gone into full lock down. It'll be six hours until we can get out again." She answered.

Gwen grabbed Owen's hand tight in hers.

"It's alright sweetheart, the Weevil's back in it's cell." Owen reassured her. "Everything's ok."

"No Owen." Gwen said quickly.

"It's fine, I promise." Owen told her.

"No Owen, the baby's coming." She shouted through gritted teeth.

Everyone turned to look at Gwen, breathing heavily and clutching at her stomach with her free hand.

"Jack, help me get her into one of the rooms below." Owen said.

"Why there?" He asked.

"Because there's a dead Blowfish in the autopsy room. Now, come on. Hurry up." Owen shouted.

"No. No way am I having this baby here." Gwen protested between breaths.

"You don't have much choice darling. We can't get out." Owen told her as he and Jack placed her arms around their necks. "Ianto, I need hot water and clean towels. Tosh, get me my surgical scissors so I can cut the cord after."

Tosh and Ianto set about their jobs as Owen and Jack took Gwen down to one of the rooms below. The journey was slow as Gwen had to stop every few minutes due to the contractions.

"You did say you wanted the baby to hurry up." Tosh smiled as she caught up with them.

Gwen glared at her causing the other woman to hurry on ahead.

Jack and Owen lowered Gwen onto one of the beds.

As Owen went to remove Gwen's jeans, she grabbed his hand and stopped him.

"You lot, out." She ordered, pointing at Jack, Ianto and Toshiko. Ianto placed the hot water and towels down beside Owen and left the room quickly with Toshiko following. Jack stayed in the room wanting to watch. "Get out."

He pouted and left the room. She let her head fall back on the bed as she breathed heavily. Owen rolled up his sleeves and took his position at the end of the bed.

"Ok Gwen, take deep breaths. It's all going to be fine." Owen told her. "Alright, I think you're almost ready. How long have you been having contractions?"

"Almost an hour now." She told him.

"Why didn't you say anything?" He gasped.

"I thought it was just cramp. Owen it hurts." She sobbed.

"I know sweetheart." He said. Minutes later, Gwen was gripping the sides of the bed as she pushed with all her strength. She collapsed back onto the bed as she tried to get her breath back. "Come on babe, one more push. You can do it."

"I can't." She whimpered.

"Yes you can. Come on, just one more for me." He encouraged. She hoisted herself back onto her elbows and screamed as she pushed one last time. Gwen fell back, eyes closed as Owen held the baby in his arms. The room was filled the cries of the tiny baby. "It's a boy."

Gwen smiled down at him through her tears.

He cut the cord and cleaned the baby before wrapping him in one of the clean towels. His whimpers grew quiet as Owen held him.

"Let me see him." Gwen said impatiently as she sat herself up. He sat down beside her and passed him to her. She held him close to her chest and smiled. "He's beautiful."

Owen wiped away the hair stuck to Gwen's face and smiled down at her.

"Just like you." He breathed. "So, do we have a name?"

"I thought we agreed on Dylan for a boy." Gwen said.

"Dylan Harper." Owen nodded.

He reached for her hand and squeezed it gently.

The door opened and Gwen quickly covered herself with the blanket.

"Can we come in?" Jack asked. "We heard the screams stop so we assumed it was over."

"Come on in." Gwen laughed. Jack grinned as he rushed over to their side, Tosh and Ianto filing in after him. "Everyone, this is our son Dylan."

"He's so cute." Jack smiled. "Wow, our first Torchwood baby. Let's hope he doesn't grow an extra head or something."

"Oh shut up." Gwen sighed but looked up at Owen in concern. "That won't happen will it?"

"No, he's just being an idiot." Owen answered.

Gwen shot a glare at Jack before smiling down at Dylan. He started to whimper again and she gently rocked him.

"It's ok sweetheart, mummy's here." She whispered.

"I think it's time for the first feed." Owen said. The Captain grinned and shoved his hands in his pockets whilst the other team members smiled as they left the room. Owen stood up and turned the older man around. "Now I'm chucking you out. Go on."

"How come you get to stay?" Jack moaned.

"I'm her husband and the baby's father." Owen answered.

He gave him a push towards the door and shut it behind him.

Owen joined the rest of the team in the main Hub an hour later.

"How's mum and baby?" Tosh asked.

"They're both asleep now." Owen said and yawned himself.

"Maybe you should get some rest too." She said. "You look exhausted."

"Delivering a baby's hard work." He told them.

"I bet giving birth was pretty difficult too." She replied.

"Yeah." Owen nodded. "Anyway, I'm not done yet. I've got to finish that bloody autopsy."

"Leave it. I'll put the body in the morgue for now." Jack told him. "Go be with your wife and child."

"Cheers Jack." Owen sighed in relief.

He clapped Jack on the shoulder before running back to Gwen's room.

He smiled at Gwen stretched out asleep with Dylan beside her, wrapped in the towel.

There were two beds in the room on opposite sides. With difficulty, he pushed the second bed next to Gwen's and lay down. He reached over and took Gwen's hand in his, gently stroking it with his thumb. She sighed in her sleep and shifted a little closer to him. He fell into a deep sleep as he watched her.

A few hours later, he was woken by a gentle knock on the door. He glanced at Gwen and Dylan, still sound asleep. Groggily, he got up and opened the door.

"Hey." Tosh whispered. "The Hub's back online now. You can go home if you want."

"Oh thank God." Owen sighed. Tosh smiled and left the room. He closed the door and walked back over to Gwen. Leaning over, he placed a gentle kiss on her lips. She sighed and slowly responded as she woke up. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled up at him sleepily. "We can go home now."

She turned her head to smile at Dylan.

"Look at him." She whispered. Hoisting herself up, she glanced down at herself and cringed. "Eugh, I look disgusting. I need to shower before we leave. Oh, I need some clean clothes and we need something for Dylan to wear. We can't take him home in a towel, he'll freeze the poor thing."

Dylan started to wriggle and he opened his mouth to let out a loud cry as if to agree with Gwen. She picked him up and cradled him to her chest, placing a kiss on his forehead.

"I...actually went out shopping the other day." Owen admitted. "Tosh helped me and I bought some baby things as a surprise. They're still in the car, I'll go and fetch him some clothes. You should still have some clean clothes here too so I'll get them on the way."

"Oh Owen, you are wonderful." She smiled. "I love you."

"Love you too sweetheart." He smiled back.

She waited for him to return before disappearing to the showers.

Owen dressed Dylan and held him as they waited for Gwen.

She came back a few minutes later, washed and changed, and stood in the doorway, smiling fondly as she watched him with Dylan. He held one of his tiny hands in his and kissed it while he gently bounced him up and down.

"That's my boys." She sighed happily. Owen looked up and smiled at her. She entered the room and leant down to capture his lips in a sweet kiss. "Let's go home."

****A/N:**** I have another idea for a Gwen/Owen fic, it's another 'what if' one. I was watching 'End Of Days' the other day and I wondered 'what if Rhys didn't come back after they'd opened the rift?' Let me know what you think of the idea! Also ****Madbean**** I could really use your help.


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